


Tyger, Tyger

by pyrrhadise, WiztheWhiteWolf



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/M, Grymmha AU, Hurt/Comfort, Post V3
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-06
Updated: 2016-10-02
Packaged: 2018-07-12 17:28:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 57,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7115428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pyrrhadise/pseuds/pyrrhadise, https://archiveofourown.org/users/WiztheWhiteWolf/pseuds/WiztheWhiteWolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jaune had accepted that Pyrrha was dead. But when a red-furred, green eyed Grimm saves his life and reveals itself to have Pyrrha's soul and memories, Jaune decides he's going to do whatever it takes to restore his partner's humanity.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The nigh-impossible to hit body of a young King Taijitu, the wings of a Nevermore, and the fangs of a Beowolf. The Grimm Jaune was facing now had them all. And he hated it. All of his least favorite features from his least favorite Grimm combined into one unholy chimera straight from his nightmares, and he had nobody around to help him fight it. This was just not his lucky day.

The Grimm tried to strike again, and got a slam in the head from Jaune's shield for it's troubles. He was on the defensive now, slowly edging towards the gates of the village he'd been guarding. If he could just get close enough, he could call for help. He knew none of his traveling companions slept deeply, and that they were just within the walls. Before the Grimm could strike again, however, a red blur slammed into and quite literally ripped it in two. When Jaune saw his savior, his heart dropped.

It was a small Beowolf, with red fur and glowing green eyes. It was clearly young, with only a small circular bone plate in the center of its chest. The thing sat on its haunches and stared intently at Jaune, its face expressionless. Jaune wanted to attack it. A beowolf this young wouldn't be a challenge, even for him. But something held him back, a niggling doubt in the back of his mind that told him to stay his hand. Against his better judgement, he did so. For several moments he just stood there, his own eyes locked with the Grimm's. He couldn't deny that the thing was beautiful, in the odd way any animal capable of tearing you apart as easily as it looking at you was.

The Grimm lumbered to its paws and began to approach Jaune. He raised his sword and shield and assumed a fighting stance, and the thing stopped. It growled quietly, and without warning rushed forward and knocked Jaune off his feet. He kicked it off him and scrambled back, but before he could counter attack he was hit with an overwhelming sense of joy, and his mind filled with memories that weren't his own. He couldn't even begin to focus on one before another took it's place. It was terrifying, but at the same time exhilarating. The constant stream of memories began to slow, and the feeling of joy was replaced by fear. Fear of being rejected, fear of not being recognized, fear of being killed. The memories grew darker, more painful.

"Knock it off!" Jaune shouted in desperation. The Grimm howled in pain, and the emotion changed to helplessness. Jaune struggled to make sense of the ceaseless flow of information. Finally, he picked out something he recognized - the auditorium back at Beacon - and latched onto it. He realized his mistake too late.

_All around her, students spoke in hushed tones. Some were nervous, others excited. She let it all sink in, and carefully observed everyone around her. Their weapons, their armor, even how they carried themselves. It could all give her an edge in battle. None of them had her confidence, her skill, or her experience. She casually brushed a stray strand of crimson hair from her face, and allowed herself to hum in contentment. She was in her element._

_"H-Hey, wait up!" She turned her head and saw a tall young man desperately calling out to a young girl with dark red hair. The girl waved, but did not stop or turn. Pyrrha grinned in amusement as the young man's shoulders slumped and he sighed with dejection. "Great. Where am I supposed to find another nice, quirky girl to talk to?"_

_You barely knew the handle of your sword from the blade back then._

Jaune regained consciousness slowly and with a terrible headache. All the while, a familiar voice spoke to him calmly. Well, no, it wasn't speaking, not exactly. It was more like it was sending him impressions and ideas, and his mind translated them into words. Jaune knew instinctively this was a far more efficient and primal way of communication.

_But you were too proud to admit it to anyone. To me, to Ren, to Nora...even to yourself. You were determined to be the hero, and you were determined to do it on your own._

"I know." Jaune groaned. His mouth felt like it was full of wet cotton balls. "I know. I was an idiot."

 _Yes. Yes, you were. But your heart was in the right place. I knew that. I_ know _that._

"Who...?" Jaune mumbled. After what he'd seen, he knew what this Grimm was. Who she was. But he couldn't believe it. He needed confirmation of some sort, from the Grimm itself.

I'm so sorry, Jaune. I...I had hoped...I'm sorry...

"Pyrrha..." Jaune choked back a sob. "What...how...?"

Pyrrha curled up on the ground next to him and closed her eyes. _Not now, Jaune. Just rest._

 


	2. Chapter 2

Jaune couldn't sleep without Pyrrha's memories filling his mind. In his dreams, he saw images of Pyrrha long before she was the strong warrior he'd known, before she could control her aura or her Semblance. He saw her first tournament victory, her first sword, her mother and father, all out of order but each as familiar as his own memories. He wasn't sure whether Pyrrha was actively trying to show him these memories or if she was simply unable to stop the flow. Either way, it felt wrong to him. Memories like these were supposed to be private. In the end, Jaune slept lightly; any loud noise would easily wake him up.

 _I'm sorry._ Pyrrha's voice rang through his head as clearly as a bell, even in his drowsy state. _Grimm don't require sleep, and I'm unsure how to control the connection between our auras._

"'S fine, Pyr..." Jaune couldn't tell if he'd actually said anything or if the clumsy response had just been a thought in his head. "'S just so weird."

_I know. Please understand that communication is a two way street._

Jaune took a moment to allow the implications of her statement to sink in. If he was seeing Pyrrha's memories...

Jaune was definitely awake now. He sat up and looked around, hoping his face wasn't as red as it felt. Pyrrha lay next to him, her gaze focused on the snow-covered woods. Aside from the occasional twitch of her ear or tail, she didn't move. Jaune realized upon examination that she wasn't a Beowolf; her fur was short and a mane wrapped around her neck, while her body and head were more like a cat's than a wolf's. Her claws seemed to be sheathed in her paws. Jaune had never seen a Grimm like her.

_It's called a Nymean. They're...we're native to Mistral, usually._

"So, how'd you get this deep into Vale?"

_I had help._

"What's that supposed to mean?"

_Jaune, I don't want to talk about it._

Jaune sighed and looked back at the town wall. "Everybody's in there."

_I know._

"Can you talk to them the way you talk to me?"

Jaune felt Pyrrha thinking about it, and knew the answer before her clear response came through. Pyrrha could send anyone images if she tried hard enough, but Jaune was the only one able to interpret them and understand what she was saying. So, no, she wouldn't be able to explain herself to the rest of RNJR. That left Jaune with the task of figuring out how to explain why he'd fallen asleep next to a shiny, Beowolf-looking Grimm, and he only had about ten minutes to do it.

 _I could go._ Pyrrha offered. _And follow behind the group at a safe distance._

"No, that won't work," Jaune sighed. "They'll notice you eventually. I'll talk to-"

Before Jaune could finish his sentence, a gunshot shattered the peace of the morning, causing Pyrrha to yelp in shock. Jaune leapt to his feet, drawing his sword and looking around for the shooter.

"Jaune, what are you doing?" Ruby demanded as she jumped down from one of the broken watch towers that lined the town wall. "Get away from that thing!"

"Ruby, wait!" Jaune protested. "It's not-" Ruby didn't give him a chance to explain. The young Huntress charged forward, Crescent Rose unfurling into its scythe form at the flick of her wrist. Pyrrha ran for the sparse cover of the trees, with Ruby hot on her heels. Her thoughts were no longer coherent, and Jaune was soon overcome by a wave of fear that he realized belonged to her. He chased after Ruby, but the icy ground slowed him down. Ren and Nora dashed past him, weapons drawn, all of their attention focused on Pyrrha, who continued running.

"Guys, hold on!" Jaune shouted. "That's not a normal Grimm! Please, just listen for a second!" His desperate plea was drowned out by one of Nora's Dust grenades. Pain shot through Jaune's leg, and he stumbled, while Pyrrha roared in pain nearby. Jaune struggled to his feet, using Crocea Mors to push himself up, but before he'd even fully recovered, flashes of pain like gunshots filled his chest. He instantly knew that Ren was shooting StormFlower, but whether at him or at Pyrrha, Jaune could hardly tell. Jaune cried out in pain, which finally got Nora's attention.

"Jaune, what's wrong?" The ginger called, concern laced in her voice.

"Stop attacking it!" Jaune commanded. He staggered forward, the pain already beginning to fade. Pyrrha was either walking it off or desperately running, but Jaune's vision was starting to get too fuzzy for him to tell.

"Why would we-"

"Nora, for the love of Dust, just leave the Grimm alone for a few minutes so I can explain!" A fresh wave of pain shot through Jaune's back, and he nearly blacked out before he was overtaken by sheer wrath. Jaune's vision flashed a vivid red as he became controlled by something else. By the time Jaune was able to control himself again, he became aware that he was standing over Ruby, Crocea Mors level with her throat while he was poised to kill. Crescent Rose lay several feet away, half-buried in the snow.

"J-Jaune?" Ruby squeaked. "Wha-how-why did you…?" Jaune stumbled back, and Crocea Mors slipped from his grasp. "I... I don't... Ruby, I'm..."

_I'm sorry!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY, what's up guys, Wiz here!
> 
> Just wanted to let you guys know that from this chapter onward, this story is collaboration between the amazing~ pyrrhadise and myself. We're going to be taking turns writing and editing, so hopefully this story will be updated weekly!


	3. Chapter 3

Jaune sighed in frustration as he began telling his team the story for what must've been the hundredth time. Between rapidly apologizing to Ruby, coaxing Pyrrha back to the group, and warding off a mob of villagers armed with literal torches and pitchforks (seriously, did they have them lying around or something? This wasn't even a farming village!), Jaune had already had a day. The four Hunters-in-training were sitting in the snowy forest where they had tried to attack Pyrrha, who now stood near enough that Jaune could still see her, but far enough away so as not to scare anyone. Jaune knew that Ruby, Nora, and Ren were simply having a hard time understanding what was going on, how a person could've ended up as a Grimm. Sure, he knew that, but it didn't make it any easier for him to explain, since he wasn't entirely sure what was going on, either. Mostly because Pyrrha was still adamant about not telling him.

"I was patrolling around the perimeter of the village when a weird chimera Grimm came out of the forest. I was fighting it, and admittedly losing, when Pyrrha," Jaune tilted his head in the direction of the red-furred Nymean to the side of the group before continuing, "came out of nowhere and killed it. And then some weird stuff started happening where I could feel whatever she was feeling, and a bunch of her memories started flashing through my head, and I passed out for a little while. But when I woke up, I was able to understand what she was trying to tell me. It-it-it was like...the little memories and feelings and impressions she sent to me were becoming words. And I know you're probably not gonna believe this, guys, but it's her. That Grimm is Pyrrha Nikos, and she doesn't mean any harm. That's why she ran instead of attacking, and why I kept trying to tell you guys to leave her alone." He finished his explanation, running his hands through his hair and looking over at Pyrrha, who was giving off waves of concern and desperation at the same time. She needed their friends to understand. She didn't want to be alone anymore. Needed to be accepted. She was no longer separated from her former peers by a pedestal, but Jaune could sense that she almost wished she still was.

Nora was the first to rise and approach Pyrrha, hand outstretched to touch the Nymean's soft fur. Pyrrha instinctively backed away from the small hammer-wielder before inclining her head downwards in a show of trust, a soft purr building in her throat. Nora hesitated for a moment, then reached behind Pyrrha's ear and ran her hand down the silky down covering her neck. Pyrrha purred softly and allowed Nora to continue petting her as she slowly laid down on the snowy earth, content and pleased. A smile slowly creeped onto Nora's face as she pet the gentle Grimm, but it quickly grew wide when she met Pyrrha's eyes. With excitement and happiness, Nora bounced up and called back to Ren, "Ren! It really is her! Come see!"

Soon Pyrrha had the pair surrounding her, both of them rubbing her fur and smiling in joy as she purred loudly. They gently scratched her ears, her neck, and all down her back while she bathed in the attention and her own feeling of pure relief. Jaune watched from where he sat with Ruby and smiled softly at the scene before looking back to Ruby.

"Ruby… I really am sorry. I'm not sure what happened a few minutes ago, with the pain and my sword… Trying to kill you… I really-"

 _Don't apologize, Jaune. The blame is mine, and I owe both you and Ruby an apology. And an explanation._ Pyrrha had stopped purring, staring at Jaune with apologetic eyes. _You see, we Grimm are attracted to negative emotions, but we are not necessarily unfeeling creatures ourselves. When attacked, instead of feeling fearful, we become angry. Nymeans… We are known for losing control in battle and attacking Huntsmen and Huntresses with much more force than is necessary. Our reputation is of being fierce, volatile and unforgiving, even by Grimm standards, but as for why you were affected by that… I believe that because of your link to me, when I was attacked and lost control, that anger passed through to you as well. I truly am sorry, and I did not intend for anyone to be harmed while I was like this. I hope you and Ruby are able to understand…_

Jaune blinked owlishly and, needing clarification, asked, "So… You think that this will happen every time you get angry?"

_I'm unsure, but it may. That's what I am afraid of._

"And that means… Every time you lose control… I'll try to kill someone… Right?"

_Possibly. I am so sorry, Jaune, truly. I had no idea, and I don't know if this theory is even right or not, but if it is, I… I don't want you to go through that again. Maybe it would be best if I…_

"No, Pyr. Ruby, Ren, Nora, and I will figure this out for you. Don't worry about it." Flashing the lionesque Grimm a reassuring smile, he called Ren and Nora back to the group so he could tell them all what Pyrrha had told him. Maybe together, they could figure this out.

"Jaune, are you okay? You were in the middle of saying something and then you just… Stopped, and started talking to the Gri-...Pyrrha." Ruby stared at Jaune with concern.

"Yeah, Ruby, I'm fine. Sorry about that. You know how earlier I was saying that I can understand her? Well, she was explaining something to me." Jaune adjusted his position to a more comfortable one and Pyrrha quickly slid in behind him, giving him cushioning to rest his back against. He gratefully leaned back and sighed quietly in comfort. "Like I was saying, Pyrrha told me that it wasn't necessarily my fault that I attacked you. When she gets angry and loses control of herself, I'll lose control too, and it's because of the same connection that I said lets me translate what she's saying. So I think we might want to keep her out of battle situations for a while until she can control it better. Any ideas for that?"

Ren and Nora shared a glance before Ren spoke up. "While we'd love to have her stay in the village with all of us, given the...incident...earlier, it's safe to say that the people in the village probably wouldn't appreciate us bringing her inside the gates. For now, I think it might be best if she stays outside of the village until we can find a way to get her in stealthily."

"Okay, if you think that's what's best, then we'll stay out here tonight."

"…We?" Ruby asked, her thoughts of sleeping in a warm bed slowly disappearing.

"Yeah, Pyrrha and I. There's no way I'm leaving her all alone ever again. You guys should go sleep in the village tonight, stay warm and stuff. I'll stay out here and sleep with Pyr tonight," Jaune said definitively, placing his hand on Pyrrha's neck for effect.

Jaune's tone made it clear that his decision was final and their conversation over, and the sun was already sinking below the horizon. Ruby, Nora and Ren headed back inside the village gates, and Nora returned shortly with some blankets and pillows for Jaune, but she needn't've bothered. Pyrrha had rolled over onto her back, her forepaws wrapped gently around a sleeping Jaune. Nora shook her head with a light chuckle and threw some of the blankets over Jaune before petting Pyrrha one last time and heading back to the village.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hello again! This chapter was written by weisspresso (my Tumblr URL and FF username) and edited by Wiz. It's a pleasure to be working with Wiz on this story. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

Qrow sat perched in a tree as the sun rose. He'd been following RNJR since the day they'd left Taiyang's home, never more than a few yards behind them as they traveled. So far, the kids had been able to handle themselves, but as they headed further and further into Grimm-filled territory they would need his help, be it in a subtle or more blatant manner. He regretted having to leave Yang behind. Had she been well, she would've been a great addition to the ragtag little group. She wasn't well, though, and Qrow could only hope she could recover sooner rather than later.

For now, though, Qrow's main concern was the red-furred Grimm. In all his years and through all his travels, he'd truly never seen anything like it. The Arc boy insisted that it was his former partner, the one who'd died at the top of Beacon Tower while fighting Cinder. Qrow wanted to say that it was impossible, but then again, he knew he shouldn't be so quick to do so. Based on how well the Grimm had taken the team's attacks, it had to have had an aura, which meant it had to have a soul, and saying that a soul couldn't be captured and transferred would make him a liar. The idea of that girl having the power to do so from such a great distance, however, was too terrifying for him to accept.

To the Grimm's credit, it didn't seem hostile. It hadn't tried to fight back immediately, and had only snapped when Ruby tried to cut it in two, and, to add credibility to Jaune's claim, he'd absolutely lost his mind at the same time. He'd never fought that way when he was... Well, simply put, when he was sane. The two now lay in the snow, curled up like puppies. The scene would've been almost cute if one of them wasn't a man-eating monster.

Qrow decided that the Grimm could stay, at least for now. He certainly couldn't get rid of it, not without blowing his cover, at least. So until it tried to hurt someone without provocation, it could stay.

The second it stepped out of line, though, it was dead.

* * *

 

If sending her after Ruby was Taiyang's plan for snapping Yang out of her depression, then he was going to need to come up with a new one. She'd go, since she didn't really have much choice, and she'd try and find her stray sibling, but it wouldn't restore her arm or stop the aching of her phantom limb. It wouldn't turn back time and give her a second chance to follow her hunch about Emerald. It wouldn't rebuild Vale; it wouldn't bring back Blake. If Yang was lucky, her stupid quest might bring back her little sister. Of course, luck never really seemed to be on Yang's side anymore, so she doubted even that much would end up happening.

The one thing Yang could be sure of in her crazy upside down world was that the raven would be there. The red-eyed bird had been Yang's almost constant companion, sitting outside her bedroom window and flying overhead on the rare occasions when Yang actually went outside. Even now, as Yang walked down the road that led into town, she could easily see the bird above her. Yang knew somehow that even if the entire world were to fall apart, the raven would still be there, but whether that was good or bad remained to be seen.

* * *

 

Sharp ears picked up every sound in the dark, keeping their owner from sleeping peacefully. The young Faunus was well aware that she was being completely paranoid. She was in the middle of nowhere, she hadn't left a trail or spoken with anyone unless she absolutely had to, and she had never shown her cat ears or weapon to anyone. She'd made herself disappear.

But there was nowhere to run. One way or another, _he_ would find her.

* * *

 

Pyrrha had woken up long before Jaune, but she hadn't felt like moving. Jaune didn't have fur, after all, so that meant that she was the only thing standing between him and the icy cold, but besides that, she was comfortable. He was calm in his sleep, and the feelings he sent to her soothed her. Pyrrha couldn't be thankful enough for that, because even though she could easily ignore the others when Jaune was awake and active, she couldn't alone in the dark.

There were thousands, maybe millions of voices in the back of her mind, each one seemingly darker, more tortured, more demented, and more murderous then the last. They spoke to her and to each other the same way she did to Jaune. They urged her to do unspeakable things. They called her sister, begged her to return to the madness she'd fought so desperately to escape. They were the Grimm, and she could never escape them.

* * *

 

Frustration.

Ozpin almost smiled at the thought of Salem feeling such a basic human emotion. It seemed that she wasn't truly as above her humanity as she claimed. Ozpin couldn't afford to invoke his captor's fury, though. The pain that fury would inflict on him would only end in wasted energy and a lack of focus, neither of which he could afford to deal with at the moment. His chains rattled as he crossed his legs beneath him, and the sound echoed across the barren, dark wasteland he was held prisoner in. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the acidic air burning his throat and lungs. Meditation was an art that most Hunters learned, but few chose to master; Ozpin was grateful that as a young man, he had found it a worthwhile pursuit. He'd need to focus whatever shreds of power he still had if he hoped to escape.


	5. Chapter 5

It was early morning, and Pyrrha had decided it was time to wake Jaune up. She gently shook him with one of her paws and quietly whispered in his head, _Time to get up, Jaune._

"Nh...just five more minutes, Mom… Whoa!" Jaune was now fully awake, having fallen off of his bed and onto the cold forest ground. His bed shifted before him as he rubbed his eyes- Wait, why is my bed moving? He jumped to his feet quickly, only to see a red-furred lion Grimm struggling to get up between fits of barking that sounded suspiciously like laughter. Jaune blushed, looking absolutely mortified, and looked down, focusing instead on trying to disentangle his legs from the blankets he had been sleeping under. "Oh, ha-ha, keep laughin', Pyr."

Pyrrha, in response, took in Jaune's current state, with his embarrassed blush, crazy bed hair, and his legs still encased in blankets from falling off of her, and erupted into another fit of laughter. _I'm sorry, Jaune, but I really can't help it. You just look so… so… funny!_

Jaune plopped down on top of the blankets he had gotten unwound and crossed his arms, blushing intensely and pouting. "C'mon, Pyr. It wasn't that funny."

 _Oh, are you really insulted? I'm sorry, I truly am, Jaune. I don't know what came over me._ Pyrrha bowed her head, looking slightly dejected, and looked up at Jaune, who was still pouting.

Jaune huffed quietly and looked up into Pyrrha's eyes, then sighed and rubbed his eyes before looking back at her, a soft smile on his face. He leaned forward and pet her head gently in an attempt to make her feel better. "It's okay, Pyr. Don't feel bad." His smile grew slightly wider as she craned her head upward into his touch, closing her eyes and purring softly as his hand moved along her fur.

"Good morning to you both, Jaune, Pyrrha." The pair looked behind them to see Ren and Nora coming towards them, holding some pancakes and water for Jaune, who stood up again and walked over to them before taking the plate and glass and coming back to sit on the blankets again. Ren sat next to him on the blankets, while Nora continued over to Pyrrha, who laid back down as Nora sat by her side.

"So, what's on the schedule today?" Nora asked Jaune, trying to strike up a conversation as they all sat together. "Are we heading to the next village like we had planned to, or does Pyrrha suddenly showing up mess up our schedule?"

Jaune took a moment to swallow the last of his food before responding. "Nah, I don't think Pyrrha being here will change much. I say we continue on like we planned. If anything, the only issue we might have is just deciding whether to take Pyr inside each village or just have the two of us stay outside," Jaune stated, motioning with his fork as he talked.

"That would make sense. Ruby proposed the same thing earlier this morning," Ren agreed before rising to his feet, the other two following suit shortly after. "We should probably begin gathering supplies and packing up, then. The next village is roughly two days' journey from here."

"Wait, but… If we can't bring Pyr inside of this village, then how am I supposed to pack? I don't wanna ask you guys to do it for me, I can do it myself…" Jaune began rubbing the back of his head with his hand as he tried to think of a solution.

Nora raised her had, "Why don't we take shifts? One of us can stay with Pyrrha while the others go get packed up."

"Great idea, Nora. Then I'll ta-"

Before Jaune could finish, Nora plopped down next to Pyrrha and strung her hands around the Nymean's neck in a semi-hug."I call dibs on first shift!" Pyrrha nuzzled her affectionately while she turned back to Jaune, "Sorry, not sorry, Jaune! We need some 'girl time'. Besides, you had all night to talk and stuff with Pyrrha. It's my turn!"

Jaune huffed in slight exasperation as Nora nuzzled Pyrrha right back. Ren placed a hand on Jaune's shoulder, offering him a shrug and a "What can you do?" The two turned around and walked back to the village together. Upon realizing that the two of them were all alone, Nora slowly released Pyrrha and sunk to the ground at her side. She curled up, pressing her knees into her chest and wrapping her arms around them. In response, Pyrrha began kneading the ground with her paws and trying to rub her face against Nora's, but Nora simply leaned away every time she tried. Finally, not knowing what else to do, Pyrrha laid down and curled herself around Nora, mewling softly in distress.

"You know, ever since you… since you… died, things have been so much harder." Pyrrha perked up at hearing Nora speak, but quickly grew distressed again as she continued. "Ren couldn't talk about you for weeks without choking up, Ruby became less and less energetic, and Jaune… Well, he shut himself off from the world for a long time. He wouldn't come out to talk or eat or play – do you realize how hard that was? And me, I…" Nora took a deep breath, trying to stall the tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, "I… It felt like there was a stake being driven through my heart. I swore I could hear it shatter into pieces, Pyrrha, when they told us... I had no one to turn to anymore. No one to listen to me and help me out, no one to console me when I cried… Everything was just falling apart. I felt dead inside." Nora began to get angry, despite the tears that were now running down her face, and continued, "I couldn't show it, though, because I was too busy trying to help Ren. Too busy trying to bring the old Ruby back. Too busy trying to save Jaune from himself. Too busy. Always too busy. And y'know what? It was all your fault!"

Pyrrha winced and jumped up at Nora's exclamation, and suddenly the hammer wielder was on her feet, hands bunched into fists at her side as she approached Pyrrha. Small bolts of lightning crackled around her as she yelled, "If you hadn't been so stupid, everything would've been just fine! Jaune wouldn't've ended up like that, Ren wouldn't've started ignoring me, Ruby wouldn't've ended up so depressed! Everything would've been just fine! But you…" Pyrrha was cowering now, afraid of Nora's anger, and Nora raised a fist. "You had to go and ruin everything! You had to go and be an idiot, get yourself killed, just because you felt bad! You didn't once stop to think about how the rest of us felt while you were off being all heroic, did you?! Did you?!" Nora, at this point, was bringing her fists down on Pyrrha, punching and smacking her while the Grimm stood still and let her teammate vent. Pyrrha had already felt terrible about leaving her team in the first place, and Nora was merely confirming how badly she had hurt them all. Even if she had expected to die in that battle, she still regretted leaving them all behind to go and face her destiny. So she let Nora continue hitting her and hoped that Nora could understand how she felt.

"You and I, we were best friends! The four of us were a team! We loved each other and helped each other! And then you get asked to do some crazy thing by Ozpin and suddenly everything I built falls apart while I watch it burn! Do you even understand how I feel?! We were our own support system, Pyrrha! We were a family! We were a family! You were my family…" Nora sank back to the ground, sobbing profusely and holding onto Pyrrha's fur, and Pyrrha followed suit, laying down and curling back around her emotionally damaged friend. "We loved you… I loved you… Why? Why would you leave us, Pyrrha?" Nora buried her face in Pyrrha's side and cried until she had nothing left. When she had finally finished, she felt a wetness press gently against her cheek. Nora looked to her left to see Pyrrha's face, her eyes swimming with emotions that she couldn't speak in a language that Nora would understand. Pyrrha gently pressed her forehead to Nora's and the two sat there in silence for a few seconds before Nora continued speaking, "You do understand, don't you? You understand more than I realized." Pyrrha nodded in response and Nora suddenly felt herself smiling. It was the first time she had smiled entirely genuinely in days, and she realized that she felt lighter and happier now that she knew her best friend could grasp what she was feeling.

The two spent the rest of Nora's shift sitting next to each other. Nora told crazy stories from the past few weeks while Pyrrha listened intently and occasionally gave a snort of laughter, spurring her friend onward in her storytelling. After a little while of this, Ren came out to retrieve Nora and took her place for his shift.

At first, the silence between Ren and Pyrrha was comfortable as they sat together in the wintry woods. Pyrrha watched a few birds flit about in the trees while Ren merely closed his eyes and retreated into his quiet nature. After a few minutes, however, the silence became unnerving. Pyrrha tried to break it by attempting to get Ren to speak. But no matter how many times she nudged him or swatted him gently with her tail, he stayed silent. More time passed in silence, and she became irritated. She could tell he was holding something in as well, but he just wouldn't give in to her attempts to coerce it out of him. Eventually she decided she had had enough and began to get up, and finally he placed a hand on her foreleg. Pyrrha looked back to see Ren staring at her, and immediately sat back down to listen to whatever he decided to say.

When she had settled back down at his side, Ren began to speak. "It's hard to think of you as her. I'm still not entirely certain that I believe it. Pyrrha was incredible; she was graceful, strong, intelligent… But she's dead. Or, I suppose, she was dead." He leaned back onto his arms, then continued, "You see, even though it's hard for me to comprehend it, Jaune already knows, and I know Jaune. He's no liar. Clumsy, yes, and inexperienced in combat, sure; he may have used fake transcripts to get here, but I trust him and I know he would never lie to any of us because he just cares entirely too much, the dork." Ren closed his eyes and exhaled. He sat that way for a moment, trying to sort out what he would say next. "I… When you died that night, it kind of felt as though the world was falling apart. Qrow brought back Ruby and your circlet and when he gave it to Jaune, he… Things became more difficult. I didn't talk much. I was unable to find the words or the energy to speak. When Jaune finally came out of his room again, he was merely a shell of himself. He's gotten better over the past few weeks; I think being around Ruby and having a mission and a set goal has helped him immensely, however… Seeing him in such a state was painful.

"Nora, on the other hand… I've known her my entire life. I know when she's genuinely happy and when she's hiding something. I knew that all of her perceived happiness was merely a façade. I heard her crying at night when she thought no one could hear her, but I… I couldn't find the words to help her. I couldn't say what she needed to hear. I was unable to help her." He smiled softly and opened his eyes, staring up at the sky as he started again, "However, you're here now. When I came out here to let Nora go back to get her things packed, I could tell that she was actually, genuinely happy. She smiled and laughed with you and I knew it was real. You helped her where I could not. Seeing that made me realize that Jaune was absolutely right, that you are… well, you are you. That Pyrrha Nikos is the person inside of that Grimm. Our family is back together again, and everything feels right. Seeing Jaune and Nora able to return to normal again is helping me feel like myself as well."

Ren adjusted his stance once more, returning to a sitting position and facing Pyrrha, who was shocked to see tear tracks running down his face. "So, Pyrrha, welcome back. We all missed you and even if I don't say it often, which I should really try to do so, I love and care for you as a sister and I'm glad Nora has you around again to talk to. I'm also grateful that you're willing to protect all of us, and we will do our best to return that kindness." Pyrrha gave him her best attempt at a smile in her current form, but it looked a little more like a snarl no matter how hard she tried. Ren chuckled while she tried, but eventually she gave up on the smile and settled for placing a paw on his shoulder instead.

With Ren's mind and heart now cleared, he settled down into a meditation position, but cracked an eye open when he heard a thunk next to him. Pyrrha had attempted to get into meditation position as well, but now a beast rather than a human, she simply looked ridiculous; the image of her sitting in human meditation position caused Ren to double over in laughter. They spent the rest of Ren's shift attempting to figure out ways and positions for Pyrrha to use to meditate, and when Ruby, Jaune, and Nora came out of the village carrying Ren's bag, they were greeted with the sight of the two teammates meditating together. Upon hearing them approach, Ren rose to his feet and retrieved his bag from Nora. Pyrrha stood as well, and the group gathered together near her.

"Ready to go?" Ruby took hold of one of her backpack straps and tugged lightly as she asked.

Jaune took just a moment to look around at the other three around him. His team was now back together, and things were as they should be, even if Pyrrha was now a large Nymean instead of a human like the rest. Everything felt right again, and Jaune's heart swelled with pride as he looked at his three teammates staring back at him. They were a team, a family, and they would never be apart again. Smiling widely, he turned back to Ruby. "Yeah, Ruby. We're ready."

 _Are you certain you want me along?_ Pyrrha asked. Jaune nodded. No way they were leaving without her.


	6. Chapter 6

Yang trudged through the village, keeping her gaze focused on the ground in front of her. She'd been lucky so far. No one had recognized her yet, but any minute now, someone would. It was the same in every village; she'd show up looking for Ruby, someone would recognize her, they'd spread the word, and after that, trying to get any information from the locals became impossible. Nobody wanted to go near the monster who broke an 'innocent' boy's leg in the middle of the Vytal Festival.

Innocent. If only they knew, Yang thought, snarling without even realizing it. Not that anyone would believe her if she told them the truth.

"Hey lady, you lookin' fer somethin'?"

Yang looked up. A gangly, brown-haired boy was leaning up against a nearby wall, his eyes focused on her. He grinned, and Yang realized that he didn't know who she was. Her heart skipped a beat, and for a moment she couldn't reply.

"Uh... uh, yeah," she stammered. "I'm looking for my kid sister, Ruby Rose. Has she been through here?"

The boy sucked his teeth, "Shoot, Ruby? Shorty, red hood, dark hair, got a sick sniper-scythe?"

"That's her," Yang nodded. "Is she here?"

"Sorry lady, ya just missed her and her buds. They left two days ago."

* * *

 

"Pyrrha, are there any more coming?!" Jaune shouted as he bolted down the thin trail, sword and shield in hand. His scroll beeped a frantic warning from his pocket, a friendly reminder that might as well have been someone saying, 'Hey there pal, you might wanna stop fighting sometime soon, otherwise you're gonna die,' as if he didn't already know. He could feel how weak his aura was, and he could tell that the rest of the group was in just as bad a shape - even Pyrrha was showing signs of exhaustion.

 _Yes!_ Pyrrha's voice sounded like a panicked roar in his head. _Keep moving!_

"Jaune, above you!" Ruby shouted. Jaune rolled forward and felt a Nevermore swoop just over his head. Its claws sheared off thick locks of his hair, and Jaune nearly panicked at the thought that it could have just as easily taken off his head. Ren quickly opened fire on the Nevermore, and its body dissolved before it hit the ground.

Jaune scrambled forward, "Thanks for the heads up, Ruby."

"What are friends for?" Ruby shrugged, never breaking stride. "Pyrrha, do you know what's chasing us?" Jaune could feel Pyrrha focusing on whatever link she had with the creatures of Grimm. He could faintly sense the presence in his own mind. It felt so wrong, like everything evil in the world given form. Thankfully, as soon as it had entered his mind, it was gone.

 _I can't tell for certain,_ Pyrrha responded with a tone of frustration,  _b_ _ut whatever they are, they're ancient... And very powerful._

Jaune relayed the message before turning back to her. "Think we can fight them?"

 _No._ Pyrrha responded bluntly. _If we try, we will die, Jaune, make no mistake about that._

Jaune could sense that Pyrrha was hiding something from him, but he couldn't pay close attention to her thoughts and run for his life at the same time. It didn't help that she was very deliberately blocking him out, which irked him because he still hadn't figured out how to block her out. That didn't matter right now, though. If they survived long enough to find some sort of shelter, he'd pry then.

"There should be a village in a few miles." Ren called. "Do we risk leading... Whatever it is to it?" He turned and looked at Ruby for an answer. They all did.

"We don't have a choice," Ruby announced. "Nora, how's your arm?"

"I- it's better than it was this morning," Nora answered, trying to sound upbeat. Her right arm hung in a makeshift sling, the result of a bad hit from an Ursa the previous night. She couldn't wield Magnhild with only one hand, but on the bright side, she could still walk. Nora was a trooper, and once her aura had time to focus on healing the wound, she would be fine.

The ground shook, and Jaune nearly fell on his face. He regained his balance and glanced behind him to see something large and black, and he called out, "I think it's catching up to us!"

 _No kidding,_ Pyrrha growled. _We need to move, Jaune._

"Whaddya think we've been trying to do?" Jaune shouted. Pyrrha roared and slammed into his back, knocking him to the ground. Jaune, in shock, yelled, "Pyrrha, what're you…" before stopping. He suddenly realized that he could no longer sense Pyrrha's consciousness in his mind.

"P-Pyrrha?" Jaune screamed in agony as bolts of pain shot through his skull. Pyrrha backed away, and through his haze of pain he could see that her eyes were flickering between her normal emerald green and a brilliant red. The link returned for a split-second, and Jaune was hit with a wave of bloodlust and confusion, which did little to help ease his pain. One word rang through his head.

_Run._


	7. Chapter 7

_Run._

The last command Pyrrha had given them before she lost control echoed through Jaune's mind. He didn't understand what was going on, but her voice had been full of fear and desperation, and that was all he needed to know it was an order that had to be followed. He had turned to everyone and just barely gotten the word out before Pyrrha's paw came smashing down onto his shield, her eyes shining a bright, bloody red. And so they had run.

The four of them that were human had run as fast as their legs could carry them, trying to get as far away from the danger as possible, and Pyrrha had chased them the whole way, burning irises following their every move. She was catching up quickly, and the members of team RNJR were growing tired.

"Any ideas?" Ruby gasped out between pants as she raced to stay with the group, nearly stumbling over a tree root that the other three had cleared seconds before.

"No," Jaune yelled back, legs burning and aching as his mind raced to try and come up with a way out of this situation. "This wasn't supposed to happen!"

"Looks like we just have to keep going, then," Ren shouted in response. "We'll figure something out once we get far enough away." At that moment, a crow swooped down next to Ruby and cawed once before flying off ahead of the group. The short scythe-wielder nodded once before chasing after it. "C'mon, follow that crow!"

The other three, not caring where help came from now, followed without question.

* * *

 

Salem growled in frustration and slammed her fist into the rock formation in front of her, sending a spider web of cracks across the smooth surface. She had sent a pack of her most powerful Mammoths after the divergent Grimm, hoping that they would cause the Nymean to lose control over herself. It had worked marvelously, and the divergent was temporarily completely under Salem's control. However, her entire plan had quickly fallen apart when he showed up; as he led the group further from the pack of Mammoths and the divergent followed, Salem's control over her slipped. That damned Ozpin and his compatriots! Even after she had him imprisoned, he still managed to thwart her every scheme. But it was no matter. She could easily find some other way to get the divergent back to her side, by force or coercion.

* * *

 

Yang followed the sounds of some type of lion's roar accompanied by a few human yells, hopping from tree to tree through the forest outside of Vale. After a good few minutes of this travel, she came to a clearing. The ground had been stampeded by giant hooves, and the trees bore marks from large tusks. The tell-tale signs of Mammoths.

Deciding it would be better to follow the path, as it almost surely led to someone in need of her help, Yang hopped down from her perch in the trees and began tracking the giant Grimm. She just hoped she could get there in time.

* * *

 

Ruby sped ahead of her friends, trying to keep the crow within sight as it led the four of them away from danger, and came skidding to a halt when they reached a clearing on the edge of the forest. The mysterious bird had disappeared just as quickly as it had shown up, and after a few seconds, Ruby could hear her friends coming up short behind her as they entered the meadow.

"What is this place?" Nora asked, staring around her at the beautiful meadow that was filled with flowers.

"I don't know," Ruby replied in awe while taking it all in as well.

Jaune remained facing the forest behind them, and he gulped before slowly taking a few steps back. "Uh, guys, I know this place is cool and all but we have bigger problems," he said, pointing at the red-eyed figure coming out of the woods behind them. The others all turned to look behind them, then quickly began backing up with Jaune as the figure loomed closer.

Pyrrha growled once, staring down her snout at the four humans before her. Her hackles were raised, and she crouched down as if she were preparing to attack, but right as she was about to pounce, she paused. A look of confusion flashed across her face, and she closed her eyes and shook her head. When she opened her eyes, they had shifted back to their usual vibrant green. She suddenly sank to her belly and covered her head with her paws.

_I… I can't… What happened, Jaune? Are any of you hurt? I'm so sorry…_

Jaune let out a sigh of relief at finally being able to hear Pyrrha in his head again. "No, Pyr, none of us are hurt, just dead tired and scared out of our minds. What happened back there?"

_I don't know, Jaune, not entirely… I could feel… Them. Then the pain… The fear… I didn't want to go back to being like them… But I couldn't… I… I'm so, so sorry!_

"Hey, Pyr, it's okay. It's not your fault. You just scared us, that's all," Jaune replied gently as he squatted down to try and comfort her.

_I… You all must hate me now. You all must be so afraid of me… I'm sorry… I'm sorry._

At that, Jaune was taken aback with slight shock, "Wha-? No, no Pyr, what are you talking about? We don't hate you! We were worried sick!" Ren, Nora, and Ruby nodded behind him in complete agreement.

_I… You don't… you aren't...scared of me? You don't think I'm a… Monster?_

Jaune grimaced at her choice of words, "No, Pyrrha. I could never think of you like that. So you lost control for a few minutes, so what? It could happen to anyone in a stressful situation. You're trying hard, I can see that. So you keep trying to stay in control, and we'll keep trying to figure out how to get you back to normal."

As he spoke, Pyrrha slowly lifted her paws from around her head and looked up at him. _You… You promise?_ There was desperation in the thoughts Pyrrha sent him, as well as intense self-loathing.

"I do. I promise, Pyrrha." Jaune gave her a gentle smile and scratched at her ears.

"I have a feeling that those Mammoths back there had something to do with whatever happened to you, Pyrrha," Ren spoke up. "You were doing well until they came along, and that was when you lost control of yourself."

"Okay, so we just need to keep her away from Grimm like those, right? We can do that," Nora added, flashing a smile and a thumbs-up. The group was suddenly interrupted by the sound of leaves crunching ahead of them. They turned to see a glowing yellow figure with burning red eyes approaching from the dark forest.

"Get away from the Grimm," Standing in front of the group was Yang, left half of Ember Celica aimed directly at Pyrrha's head. A look of hatred and disgust had crossed her face. "I'll repeat myself once, and then I'm gonna shoot. Get. Away. From the Grimm." Ren, Nora, and Ruby moved away slowly, but Jaune remained.

He stepped between Yang and Pyrrha and calmly unfolded his shield. "No. I won't let you hurt Pyrrha."

"P-Pyrrha…?" Yang looked shocked for a moment before shaking her head. She scoffed, "You're nuts, Jaune. Pyrrha's dead, remember? And that's a Grimm. They're humanity's natural enemies. So get away from it so I can kill it. Now."

_Jaune, tell her to look at my eyes, please._

"I'm not crazy, Yang. This is Pyrrha. You want proof? Look at her eyes."

"That's impossible, Jaune. Pyrrha's…" Yang trailed off as she saw the Grimm's eyes. Green. "Dead...Holy Dust. How… What… Is it really?" Yang squatted down next to Pyrrha as well, and a wide smile crossed her face as she placed a hand on Pyrrha's fur and the Nymean purred in response. "Oh, man, this is purr-fect! It really is her!"

Both Jaune and Pyrrha groaned as Yang rose back up and faced the other three, "You guys look super tired. It might be a good idea to set up camp here for the night. Besides, I have a ton of questions." She glared at Ruby, and the girl shrunk back, "Especially for you."

* * *

 

The sun had set an hour ago and all five humans in the group seemed to be asleep in their tents. The crow perched in one of the trees around the meadow decided it was time. He hopped down in front of the large Grimm laying outside the Arc boy's tent, transforming back to his human form as he went, and within a few seconds he was standing in front of the Nymean, sword held out in front of him.

The red-furred creature rose to its feet and growled quietly at him. _Hello again, Qrow._

"Hey, kitty. Glad you were able to make friends, but now I'm gonna have to mow you down."

The Grimm took a step back. _Mow me down? Why?_

"You're a danger to these kids; to my nieces. Can't let them keep something as dangerous as you around. It's nothing personal." With that, the two figures exchanged blow after blow in the silence of the night. Qrow's weapon cut into her thick skin, only for the wounds to be healed within seconds by the Grimm's aura. The Nymean's claws sliced at Qrow's weapon, but never at his body. It was almost as though the creature didn't want to hurt him. The clanging of titanium-hard claws on Dust-enhanced steel rang through the forest, but the children were too tired to be woken up by it.

Most of them, at least.

"Pyrrha? You okay out there?" The two halted as a light came on in Jaune's tent. Pyrrha turned her head to see Jaune climb outside, but by the time she turned back to her opponent, he had disappeared.

_Yes, Jaune. Everything is fine._


	8. Chapter 8

With another fearful glance over her shoulder, Blake crouched down to inspect the strange claw marks marring the broken tree trunk. She'd thought that she didn't have any nerves left that could possibly not be frayed at this point, but as she recognized the distinctive claw marks of a Nymean, she realized that she had been wrong. Blake shuddered and rose to her feet, staring at the trail of similarly marred trees that led deeper into the forest. She didn't want to follow, she really, really didn't, but as she turned to head back for the dense cover of the undamaged forest, she spotted something scarlet on a fallen tree.

 _No._ She thought. _I-it couldn't be... Could it?_ She shook her head. Not your problem, _Blake! Get into cover before something spots you!_ Blake couldn't resist the tug of curiosity, though. She walked to the tree and inspected it closely. Sure enough, a scrap of red cloth was hanging from one of the shattered tree's branches. She didn't have to raise it to her nose to catch Ruby's scent on it. She'd been here, and not very long ago. Twelve hours, at most.

Blake sighed and wrestled with the decision at hand for several minutes. Finally, she tied the scrap of cloth around the strap of her rucksack. With a final moment of hesitation, she began following the trail of scratched and fallen trees.

* * *

 

"So, uh, how'd you find her?" Yang asked around the piece of string she held beneath her teeth, waving the stump of her right arm towards Pyrrha. The blonde was building a small snare on the pretense of showing the other kids how to do so. The reality was that she was somewhat desperate to prove she could still function without her dominant hand.

"She found me, actually," Jaune rubbed the back of his neck. He was engrossed in Yang's demonstration, as the ability to set traps could help keep the Grimm at bay when the group set up camp.

"Ohhhh-kay." Yang said flatly, "So, what happened to her, then? Why's she all, uh..." Yang paused to consider her next word carefully, "Fffffffuzzy?"

"Wouldn't we all love to know?" Jaune muttered, glancing at Pyrrha. The Nymean snorted and turned away as if offended, and after a moment Jaune looked shocked, "Hey, that's not cool, Pyr! Take it back!" The Nymean shook her head. "Argh!"

Yang stared blankly as the two continued their apparently one sided argument. She looked back at her other companions, appearing puzzled, and gestured at Jaune and Pyrrha with her right arm.

"He can hear her," Nora shrugged. "It's telepathy or something. Just roll with it."

"You're joking, right?" Yang finished the snare and sat back on her haunches. "Ren, tell me she's joking."

"She's not joking," Ren yawned. "Though I suspect that their communication is based off of a connection of their souls, rather than of their minds. Pyrrha did unlock Jaune's aura, after all. Such an action would form a permanent and powerful bond between their souls."

Yang blinked, "Ren, that's the most I've ever heard you say at one time. Ever."

"Get used to it," Ruby chimed in. She'd been staying abnormally quiet for most of the morning, trying to avoid catching Yang's attention. Yang hadn't let her sister out of her sight since she'd arrived last night, and the tension between the girls was almost tangible.

"So, Pyrrha's a Grimm, Jaune can talk to her telepathically, and Ren's chatty now. Anybody got something that could make this day any weirder?"

"Pyrrha says someone attacked her last night," Jaune announced. "She won't say who though."

Yang nodded in Jaune's direction, a bitter smirk on her face. "Eeeeyep. That'll do." She picked up a pebble and, after mimicking an animal wandering through the woods, tossed it into the snare. The trap snapped shut, wrapping around the pebble tightly. "Well, if you four can figure out how to make one of these, you won't have to worry about food supplies."

"What do you mean 'you four'?" Nora asked. "I may not be the best at math, but I know that there's six of us."

"Nope." Yang said bluntly. "It's you, Jaune, Ren, and Grymmha over there. Ruby and I are going home."

Ruby chuckled nervously, "Good one, Yang."

"I'm not joking, Ruby," Yang snapped, her tone deadly serious. "You think I trekked across half a continent and got treated like a criminal at every turn just so I could join you?" She shook her head, "No! Dad wants you to come home, Ruby. He's worried sick about you, and he sent me to get you. So grab your stuff. We're leaving. Now."

"No," Ruby replied.

Yang stood, "Excuse me?"

"I'm not leaving, Yang," Ruby poked at the dying embers of the group's breakfast fire. She refused to meet Yang's eyes. Yang growled in anger and hauled Ruby to her feet by the front of her shirt. Even with just one arm, she was still more than strong enough to lift her younger sibling into the air so they were eye to eye.

"Are you out of your mind, Ruby?!" She roared, her eyes turning red. "Are you suicidal?! You! Can't! Win! This!" She emphasized each word with a violent shake. The others quickly pulled the two girls apart. Ruby's eyes were wide with fear and shock, and she trembled on the ground. It took everything Nora and Pyrrha had just to hold Yang back. "You're a mouse trying to hold back the ocean, Ruby, and Dust help you, you're going to drown if you keep this up! You're my sister, Ruby, and I don't want to hurt you, but if I have to so I can keep you safe, I will!"

Pyrrha growled and squeezed Yang's neck. The blonde jerked, then her eyes rolled back in her head and she went limp. Ruby snapped out of her stupor and ran up to Yang.

"What'd you do to her?" Ruby yelped. She placed her fingers on Yang's neck and was relieved to find a slow, languid pulse. Yang's chest rose and fell slowly. Nora released her grip on Yang's left arm, and Pyrrha lowered her gently to the ground.

"A pressure point?" Ren asked. Pyrrha nodded. "Smart, but she won't be happy when she wakes up."

Pyrrha glanced at Jaune, who quickly shook his head. "What do you mean you can just keep knocking her out until we find handcuffs?" Pyrrha whimpered. "Well it wasn't funny!"

"I've got rope in my bag," Nora offered. "I really hate to suggest it, but..."

* * *

 

"Lemme go!" Yang shouted, straining against the ropes that held her to the only oak tree in the area that could resist her inhuman strength. Ruby wished her shift on watch would end sooner. She didn't want to listen to Yang's angry cursing anymore. She knew her sister didn't stand a chance of breaking free - she couldn't truly use her Semblance unless something hit her, and she was securely bound around her chest and ankles. Nora had even gone the extra mile and tied Yang's remaining hand to her side. Nothing was going to hit her, and she couldn't move enough to hit herself. But that wasn't the problem.

No, the problem was that Yang was right, and Ruby knew it. In the back of her mind, Ruby knew she was on a fool's errand at best and a suicide mission at worst, but she just couldn't turn back.

Pyrrha walked over from her spot near Jaune's tent. She nuzzled Ruby as if to ask how the red head was doing, and Ruby ran a hand through the Nymean's mane.

"Hey, Pyrrha." Ruby sighed, hoping she could be heard over Yang's latest bout of frustrated screaming. "She's gotta go hoarse sometime, right?"

"DON'T BET ON IT!" Yang snapped. Pyrrha huffed and shook her head.

"Yeah, I didn't think so," Ruby moved over and patted the spot next to her, beckoning for Pyrrha to sit down. "Do you mind just staying here with me for a while? I need to talk to somebody. Usually it'd be Yang, but, well," Ruby nodded towards her sister, who'd stopped shouting and was focusing all her energy on the futile effort to break her bonds, "Yyyyeah, not gonna work out. And Ren and Nora tell me you're a good listener."

Pyrrha nodded and curled up next to Ruby. She focused her eyes on the red head and perked up her ears to indicate that she was listening. Ruby smiled and began stroking Pyrrha's head, then stopped.

"That feels so wrong and so natural at the same time," Ruby quipped. "I mean, you look and feel like a big cat, but you're still a person, right? Isn't it, I dunno, awkward for you?" Pyrrha pressed her head against Ruby's hand. "Okay, I'm gonna take that as a 'no'." She glanced back at Yang, who had temporarily stopped struggling to catch her breath. "Hey, are you listening?"

"Ruby Rose, I swear to Dust, if you don't untie me RIGHT NOW, I'm gonna-" Yang broke down into a slew of curses and threats and resumed struggling.

"She doesn't mean any of that." Ruby squeaked. "But, uh, anyway," Ruby cleared her throat, "I can't go home, Pyrrha. I just can't. I know my dad's worried about me. I'm worried too. I know that I might never come home, I know that I might get hurt, but…" Ruby's voice broke, "But I can't let what happened in Vale happen anywhere else, Pyrrha! I can't let anyone else end up like Penny," Pyrrha flinched at the mention of the android's name. "And I can't let anyone else end up like you." Pyrrha shuddered. Ruby had no idea what ending up like her entailed. "So I have to keep going. I have to get to Haven, and if I don't get there in time to warn them, then I'm gonna do everything I can to help protect them.

"Because that's what Huntsmen do. We protect people, even if it means we have to give up our lives to do it... But you know that, don't you? You knew that better than anybody. You were willing to do it. You deserved and eternity in Paradise for what you gave up, but instead...instead you were turned into a monster!" Ruby hugged Pyrrha tightly. "You're one of the bravest people I've ever met. You should've died a hero's death the night Beacon fell, but now you're stuck here. If the enemy can do this once, what's going to stop them from doing it again? And again, and again, and again? Nothing. Not unless we find them and we stop them."

Ruby realized that Yang had stopped screaming. She looked over to see her sister leaning against the tree, staring blankly in front of her. She'd stopped fighting.

"Ruby, you don't have to this," Yang said, her voice shaky, "You can't do this. You're just a kid. You can't go up against the White Fang, and the Grimm, and... Whatever it is that Cinder's leading. You can't... You'll die." There was no longer any anger or accusation in Yang's voice. She was on the verge of tears, pleading.

"Maybe." Ruby admitted. "But I'm not going at it alone. Yang, if you don't want to fight, you can go home. I won't hold it against you. But I'm gonna keep going."

Yang nodded. "Fine. Just untie me, okay? Please?"

Ruby glanced at Pyrrha. The Grimm shrugged as if to say, "Your choice." Ruby sighed and walked over to Yang, and quickly undid the knots. The blonde smiled warmly…

And then punched Ruby in the face.

"Ow!" Ruby yelped, stumbling backwards. "Yang, why did you-"

"That's for running away from home, scaring dad and me, making me track you on foot across the kingdom, tying me to a tree, and being the dumbest kid on the face of Remnant." Yang smirked. "And frankly, you're getting off easy." She raised her arm again. Ruby flinched, but instead of another blow, Yang pulled her little sister in for a hug. "And this… Is for being such an idiot that you'd put your life on the line in a hopeless fight like this."

Ruby hugged her sister back. "Does this mean you're with us?"

"You kidding me?" Yang laughed. "Dad'd kick my butt if I had the nerve to go home without you. You aren't leaving me with a choice here. Just try not to die, okay?"

Ruby nodded. "I promise not to die... If I can help it."

Neither girl noticed as Pyrrha smiled to herself and slowly walked back to Jaune's tent, her work done.


	9. Chapter 9

Professor Glynda Goodwitch wandered the streets of Vale, looking for buildings in need of rebuilding or people in need of her help. As she turned the corner to start work on yet another ruined street, she saw a small group of three or four together, talking about something. She paid them no mind, but as she passed, she couldn't help but overhear part of the conversation.

"Yeah, there's this red lion Grimm that's been travelling between towns, according to some of the villagers that've passed through. They're sayin' it's a real oddball," one of the group, a shorter woman, spoke.

The man next to her turned toward her with a puzzled expression. "An oddball? What're you talking about?"

"I mean, people are saying it's… nice," the first woman said again, waving her hand in exasperation. "Smart too."

"… Nice? Nice how?" Another of the group, this time a taller woman, asked. "Smart Grimm, I'll believe, but a nice Grimm?"

"Nice as in, it doesn't hurt people. Kid named Danny went so far as to call it gentle. He also said it's got a whole bunch of Huntsmen-in-training travellin' with it, protectin' it." That statement made Glynda's ears perk up a little more. What Huntsmen would ever protect a Grimm, no matter how kind it seemed?

"Huntsmen-in-training, eh?" The man questioned.

"Yeah. There's those JNPR kids, minus Pyrrha Nikos, you know, 'cause she died, and with the leader of RWBY. But it gets weirder. You know that Yang chick, the one hurt her competitor during the tournament?" The other members of the group nodded. "Danny said she was followin' them. Lookin' for her sister. He didn't recognize her 'cause she was missin' her arm - and that confidence she always carried herself with."

The pieces clicked together in Glynda's head. She stopped with a gasp, then angrily straightened her glasses. Those were her students, travelling with a Grimm?! Glynda turned around and began walking back toward her temporary home. If she was going to get to the bottom of this, she'd need help. And since Ozpin wasn't available and Qrow was off doing Dust knew what, there was only one option.

* * *

 

"Pyrrha, how many are there?" Jaune called to the large Nymean next to him as their group tracked down a small pack of Beowolves.

_I don't… I'm not sure, Jaune. I can't tell… I think the connection is breaking down. It's weaker than it was before._

"That's okay, Pyr. We'll figure it out some other way." Jaune turned back to face the other four behind them, "All right, guys, looks like we need to scout to find out how many there are."

"Pyrrha can't tell us?" Ruby whimpered. The poor kid was visibly exhausted, the result of trying to eliminate the Grimm prowling near the latest village the group had visited. They had, of course, neglected to mention that their "team pet" (Jaune did not approve of the title, but Pyrrha seemed fine with it) may have been attracting more of the monsters.

"Sorry, Ruby. She says the connection's weak," he replied while running a hand along Pyrrha's mane to reassure her. Ruby sighed in disappointment, then nodded, and they all split off into their usual scouting formation. Yang and Ruby stuck together, having become practically inseparable in the past week. Ren and Nora were in position across from them, moving with unnerving stealth. Jaune and Pyrrha completed the formation as they followed the pack. Using hand gestures and signals, the three pairs communicated back and forth to each other, talking about how many there were and when to strike. However, as soon as they moved to eliminate the pack, a deafening screech filled the air. Four massive Nevermores swooped down on the group. To make matters worse, the Beowulves charged in as well.

"Scatter!" Ruby yelled from across the formation as she hopped down from her perch with Yang and began running back toward the village. Ren and Nora split off another way, and Jaune and Pyrrha followed suit.

"I thought you said there were only Beowulves!" Jaune yelled back at his Grimm partner as they ran.

Pyrrha shook her head, sticking slightly behind him as if to shield him as they ran. _I thought they were it, Jaune, believe me! I couldn't sense any more. I tried my best! I'm sorry!_

Jaune huffed out a quick breath before responding, "No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have blamed you. You already said the connection was weak, right?"

 _Yes, Jaune, and I'm afraid it seems to be growing weaker by the day,_ Pyrrha whimpered, and Jaune could feel her sending waves of apologetic emotion to him. He felt bad for making her upset with herself, but apologies would have to wait. They had bigger problems to deal with. Four much bigger, much deadlier problems. He had to focus on getting back to the village as quickly as possible. He was careful to check on Pyrrha every so often to make sure she was still with him, and made sure to flash her a quick reassuring smile whenever he caught her eye.

At last, the pair reached the clearing outside the village, where they found Ren and Nora already waiting for them. Jaune plopped down as soon as they got out of the woods, and Pyrrha stopped right next to him, panting from the run.

"Have Ruby and Yang made it out yet?" Jaune asked, gasping for breath between words. Ren and Nora both shook their heads.

"Nope. But don't worry. I'm sure they'll show up soon," Nora smiled as the two sat down with their leader. A Beowulf tried charging them, and the ginger casually dispatched the foolish beast with a single grenade. Pyrrha, now having caught her breath, slid in behind Jaune as she usually did, and the four settled down to wait for Ruby and Yang's return. They didn't have to wait long.

Yang came bursting through the trees with tears streaming down her face, half-carrying, half-dragging an injured Ruby over her shoulder. Jaune, Nora, and Ren shot up and ran over to Yang, taking Ruby from her and laying her out on the ground to get a better look at the wound. It was bad. Really bad. Ruby must've been lying about how much aura she'd had left, because it looked like a Nevermore feather had ripped through her side like she was made of paper. Jaune couldn't tell if it had hit anything vital, but the huntress was in shock. The group had had an unspoken rule of never staying in one place for too long, but now it looked like they would have no choice but to break it. "I'm going to get a medic." Jaune announced, getting up and turning so fast he sent snow flying into the air behind him.

 _This is all my fault. If I had just been able to sense the Nevermores, Ruby wouldn't have gotten hurt,_ Pyrrha whimpered as Jaune ran toward the village. He turned around to see her with her head down and eyes closed like someone who was praying, and he quickly called back to her.

"It's not your fault, Pyrrha. We'll talk about it when we get settled for the night, don't worry."

"I'm sorry…" Yang choked out as her tears continued to fall. "I didn't watch out for you… I'm so sorry, Ruby…" Pyrrha sensed Yang's distress and looked over to her; seeing that the brawler needed some emotional support, she made her way over to Yang and gently nuzzled her cheek until the blonde turned towards the Nymean and hugged her neck tightly, sobbing into Pyrrha's fur and continuing to mumble apologies to her sister. Pyrrha, now naturally attuned to negative emotion, could sense the months of stress that Yang carried with her. She was still unnerved by the way such feelings beckoned to her, and even more so by the fact that even now she barely had control enough to resist the pull.

* * *

 

Ruby sat up, wincing as pain shot through her side. She glanced down at her bandaged side and remembered being hit by the Nevermore's feather. She silently vowed that this would be the last time she ignored a low aura warning from her scroll. Yang started to stir and slowly raised her head, her lilac eyes puffy from crying. Without a word, she hugged Ruby harder than the red head had assumed one could with only one arm.

"Yang. Side. Hurts!" Ruby managed to squeak. Yang's grip slackened, and Ruby slipped out of her grip. She started to reassure Yang, but noticed something black and white in the corner of her eye. She whipped her head around, afraid she'd see a Nevermore sitting in the tree outside the window, but whatever it was, it was long gone.


	10. Chapter 10

Ruby hadn't told Yang about the thing she'd seen last night, and would've written it off as a hallucination if not for the footprints in the snow. She wasn't supposed to be on her feet, much less outside, but by some miracle she'd managed to convince Yang to let her out for some fresh air. When the blonde was gone, Ruby took the chance to investigate.

The prints were partially covered by fresh snow. They started near the tree right outside her window and disappeared at the foot of the tall wooden wall surrounding the village. Upon closer inspection, Ruby noticed that about halfway up the wall, the ice was scuffed and cracked, and chunks had fallen away. Someone had climbed over it. Ruby started to make a mental list of who it could've been, but her train of thought was very quickly derailed by a shout from behind her.

"What in Dust's name do you think you're doing out here?!" Yang demanded, grabbing Ruby's hood and hauling her back towards the house of the village doctor. "I told you not to wander off!"

"I saw footprints from the window and came to check 'em out!" Ruby protested. It wasn't a complete lie, but it might as well have been.

"You saw footprints?" Yang questioned sarcastically. "On the ground? From your bed? Ruby, do I look like an idiot?" She let go of Ruby and threw open the front door. The younger sibling didn't even try to run. The effort probably would've reopened the gash in her side and made Yang even more aggravated. She sheepishly followed Yang up the stairs and, under the blonde's now red-tinged glare, returned to the bed.

"I'll be right outside if you need anything. Stay. In. Bed." Yang ordered before closing the door to the room.

Ruby leaned back, her mind quickly returning to the damaged ice. After several minutes of pondering who would've wanted to leave by climbing over it, she realized that they'd probably entered the same way. But why bother? The villagers weren't exactly wary of strangers. Heck, one of them had even been kind enough to let Pyrrha stay in his stable, making it the first time she'd ever been allowed inside a village. If the villagers weren't scared of a Grimm, there was no reason any human or Faunus who wanted to get in couldn't just stroll through the gates as long as it was daytime, unless, of course, they weren't entering the village for friendly reasons.

Ruby shot up, gears turning in her mind. She'd heard rumors of smaller border towns being destroyed from the inside out. Nearly everyone had. Blame had been placed on everything from hidden Grimm dens to shoddy security, but the most popular theory was that the White Fang had begun scouting out and sabotaging the towns. Panic began to set in as Ruby remembered what colors the White Fang soldiers always wore.

* * *

 

"Hello, Yang." Ren greeted in his usual tired monotone. "What are you doing out here?"

"Making sure Ruby gets the rest she needs." Yang replied, a dangerous edge to her tone. "I found her all the way at the wall when I went to bring her back inside this morning." Yang shook her head, "Ren, she's going to kill herself if she doesn't calm down."

"You realize someone could've just as easily said the same thing about you a few months ago?" Ren said. Yang chuckled wryly and brushed a stray lock of blonde hair from her eyes. "So, did you ever give Ruby her breakfast?"

Yang's eyes widened and she slapped her forehead with her hand. "No! Stupid! Ren, can you watch the door for me while I go grab it?"

"Of course," Ren nodded. The words were barely out of his mouth before Yang had bolted towards the stairs. He shook his head, grinning in amusement. No doubt she'd let her temper get the better of her when she'd brought her sister back. Speaking of which... Ren turned to the door and knocked gently. "Ruby, are you alright?" There was no answer. "Ruby?" He called, louder this time. Still no answer. Oh no.

Ren opened the door and, sure enough, Ruby was gone. The window was wide open, letting the cold winter air into the normally warm and cozy room. Ruby's hood and boots were also missing, along with Crescent Rose, meaning it was almost certain she'd left of her own free will. It was unlikely that a kidnapper would allow their captive time to retrieve the additional articles of clothing for fear of being caught, and to allow her to grab her weapon would be flat-out stupid. Ren scanned the room, looking for any signs Ruby might have left to hint at where she was going. He noticed a scrap of paper sticking out from under one of the pillows on the bed, and quickly pulled it out and read the note.

_Yang (or whoever finds this),_

_Saw something suspicious last night. Could be White Fang. Don't wanna risk it, knew you wouldn't listen. Sorry. Hopefully be back soon. Seriously, don't follow me._

_-Ruby_

Ren heard Yang coming back up the stairs and wearily trudged to the door to meet her. She really wasn't going to like this.

Yang couldn't remember the last time she'd been literally smoldering. As she moved through the forest following her sister's trail, the flames wreathing her body didn't just melt the snow around her; they turned the frozen coating into a hissing mist that trailed behind Yang like the smoky breath of a dragon. Her eyes burned red, and her face and posture reflected the indescribable rage she felt. Part of her knew she should calm down, that her fury would attract Grimm and make her search even more difficult than it needed to be, but Yang was far beyond reason.

She'd taken one look at Ren's face and understood what was going on. She'd dropped the plate of food she'd been carrying and stormed outside, unintentionally triggering her Semblance and utterly terrifying everyone around. She didn't care. She'd walked straight through the gates and quickly picked up on Ruby's footprints, which lead straight into the woods.

Now Yang realized, much to her annoyance, that Ruby had intentionally left behind several false trails. She cursed her little sister's superhuman speed and doubled back, hoping she hadn't accidentally melted away the other paths. As she arrived back where the trail started, she heard the distant ringing of a bell. It was one of her traps, no doubt, and from the sound of things it had just caught something that was very upset. Yang realized she hadn't told the others where she'd placed her traps. Had Ruby gotten caught in one?

Almost smirking at the idea, Yang began following the sound of the bell. If it was Ruby, then Yang could probably let her off the hook with another warning - after snapping a few pictures with her scroll to ensure the redhead never lived this incident down.

* * *

 

Blake struggled desperately to grip the rope, the tree, anything. Her legs were pinned together, tightly bound in thick cords meant to hold something the size of an Ursa or Beowulf, and she was suspended upside down several feet above the snowy earth. Gambol Shroud, which had been in her hands when she'd triggered the trap, lay a few feet away on the ground, completely useless. Every ring of the bell sent a fresh wave of panic through her body, and her already labored breathing had quickly increased to panicked wheezing. With every wild thrash, agony shot through her left leg, but she wasn't going to stop until she was freed.

She hadn't seen the cleverly hidden trap in the snow until it was too late, and even her stellar reflexes hadn't been able to prevent her from being caught. If anything, her attempt to jump out of the way only made things worse. Not only had she still been captured, but her left ankle had been snagged at just the right angle to sprain or break it. Blake couldn't tell which, and she almost didn't want to know.

Logic dictated that the trap had been lain by a local woodsman or trapper, and that the same individual would set her free as soon as they found her, but Blake was panicked beyond reason. In her pain-addled and sleep-deprived mind, the White Fang had placed the trap for her, and she'd wandered right into it like a common rabbit. As soon as one of them heard the bell, they'd be upon her, and she'd be at Adam's mercy.

Blake kept thrashing for what felt like an eternity, until her strength finally faded. Despite the icy chill of the air, sweat dripped from her face and arms in testament to her effort. She vainly hoped that it would freeze and she'd die of hypothermia, or that some Grimm would be attracted to her fear and finish her off. Anything was better than being captured by the Fang, but, as usual, the cat Faunus had no such luck.

After several minutes, she heard crunching in the snow. She tensed, dreading what she viewed as the inevitable and praying silently for any help. As the footsteps drew closer, she smelled something burning. Blake closed her eyes, willing the ordeal to be over as she heard the underbrush being pushed aside and the stranger walking up to her. For a moment, they said nothing and simply pulled Gambol Shroud from the snow. Blake flinched, anticipating a blow.

"You have cat to be kitten me right meow!"

Blake opened her eyes and blinked, her irises locking with her former partner's. Despite her pitiful attempt at a wisecrack, the blonde wasn't smiling.

"Yang Xiao Long, I swear to Dust," Blake snarled. "If you don't cut me down right now, I'm going to kill you."

"Well hello to you too!" Yang snapped, her lilac eyes turning crimson in an instant. She tossed Gambol Shroud even further out of Blake's reach and began to turn away, and Blake's panic returned in force.

"Yang, wait!" She yelped. "Please don't leave me here!"

Yang turned away from Blake and headed back the way she came, calling, "The way you didn't leave me behind at Beacon, right?"

"YANG!" Blake screamed. Her eyes stung, and she was too tired to hold back tears. "Please... I'm scared..."

This was enough to stop the blonde Huntress. She glanced back at her former partner, and her expression softened when she noticed the unnatural angle Blake's foot was twisted at. Without a word, Yang walked over to a small mound of snow near the base of the tree that Blake previously hadn't noticed. The blonde brushed the snow away, revealing the stake that the cable was tied to. Blake forced her body to relax as Yang struggled to undo the knot. Eventually, the trap went slack, and Blake tumbled headfirst into the deep snow, where she lay shivering for several minutes. She was only vaguely aware of Yang tugging the ropes off her legs.

"C'mon, kitty," Yang urged softly, pulling Blake up. "You need to get that ankle looked at. Don't even think about arguing."

Blake leaned against Yang's shoulder, limping along in silence as the blonde led her towards the village. She tried not to think about the fact that many of her friends were there, or that injured as she was she'd have to choice but to explain herself. She tried not to think about how the White Fang could be anywhere, and that by returning to her former teammates she'd be bringing the wrath of the Fang upon them. There was no longer anything she could do. Yang's grip, while supportive, was vice-like, making it clear that Blake wasn't going anywhere.

For better or for worse, she was rejoining Team RWBY.


	11. Chapter 11

Ruby quietly slipped inside the medic's house and silently closed the wooden door behind her. She moved stealthily across the first floor, hoping to get upstairs without waking anyone, but she wasn't so lucky. Halfway across the waiting room area, the light flicked on, revealing Yang leaning casually against the wall next to the switch.

"Welcome back, Ruby. Have fun putting your life in danger?" As she spoke, Yang closed the distance between herself and Ruby. When the redhead tried to back away, Yang gripped her shoulder to keep her from moving. Ruby blushed and suddenly became very interested in the floorboards.

"I'm sorry, Yang. Last night, I saw something outside and I had to check it out! I- it could've- I thought it was a White Fang-"

"So you went outside in the cold while you were injured, by yourself, looking for what you thought could've been an enemy who would kill you without question? Ruby, do you realize how stupid that is?" Yang shook Ruby slightly as she spoke. "Ruby, maybe you've forgotten, but the White Fang isn't a joke. They're cold-blooded killers."

"But what if they're planning an attack?" Ruby shot back, more than a little irked by Yang's doubts.

"Then we'd be attacked whether you had gone looking or not! And if you were hurt or captured hunting for them? How would you help us then?" Yang's eyes had turned red, and she gestured in exasperation with her stump arm as she tried to make Ruby see sense.

"Yang, I..." Ruby began dejectedly, realizing that her sibling was right. "I'm sorry." Yang sighed and released Ruby's shoulder.

"Well, I'll give you this. There was a White Fang member outside your window last night." Yang smirked as Ruby tentatively raised her eyes from the floor. "They're upstairs. See for yourself," she stated matter-of-factly, hand on her hip. Ruby's eyes widened in excitement.

"Really?" Before Yang could stop her, Ruby had sped up the stairs to the recovery room. She yanked open the door, and the sight that greeted her was not what she was expecting.

There, on the hospital bed across from where Ruby had been sleeping the night before, lay Blake, with one ankle bound in a splint. Ruby softly made her way over to the bed, not quite believing what she was seeing. Her teammate slept on, completely oblivious. As Ruby drew closer, she noticed other injuries besides the cat Faunus' bound ankle. Scrapes and bruises from what must've been dozens of fights covered her arms and face, some no older than a day or two. A mostly healed, stitched up gash from a sword ran the length of her left bicep, proving that Blake's opponents hadn't all been Grimm. Ruby stopped at Blake's bedside and reached out to touch her, as if to confirm she was really there. She jerked back as Blake whimpered something unintelligible in her sleep, frightened that she'd accidentally woken the girl up.

"She's back for good, Ruby." Yang spoke with a soft tone from her spot in the doorway before walking over to join her sister. "Her ankle got twisted up pretty bad in one of my traps, though. It's probably gonna take some time to heal, aura or no." Yang placed her hand on Ruby's shoulder and gently guided her over to her own bed, "C'mon, Rubes. It's time for you to go to bed, too."

Ruby let Yang lead her, but got one final glance at Blake as she walked away from the bed. The dark-haired girl stirred slightly in her sleep, muttering something else, but other than that, she seemed to be resting comfortably. Ruby smiled and turned back around, happy that her team was starting to come back together.

* * *

 

In the morning, Blake rose with the sun. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, longing to go back to sleep, but knowing that her body simply wouldn't allow it. With a sigh, she looked around at her surroundings, allowing herself to take time to wake up for the first time in weeks. It was still the same bedroom she'd gone to sleep in, and she was still in the same bed. Only one thing had changed: she wasn't alone.

Blake looked across the room, spotting a figure in the bed opposite hers that was too small to be Yang. She carefully retrieved the crutches the doctor had kindly loaned her and rose unsteadily to her feet. She moved as quietly as she could to the side of the other bed, and instantly recognized the sleeping figure of Ruby. The girl was leaner than when Blake had last seen her, and her hair had grown a few inches longer and was a tangled mess, but all things considered she looked fine. Blake realized she probably couldn't say the same for herself.

 _When was the last time I even looked in a mirror?_ Blake wondered absently as she glanced at her blurry reflection in the window pane. Her cat ears perked up as she heard familiar voices downstairs.

Blake hobbled to the staircase, nearly falling down it twice as she awkwardly made her way to the first floor. She entered the living room to find Ren and Nora sitting on the couch, deep in conversation that for once was not completely one-sided. The pair didn't notice Blake for a moment. Ren spotted her first, and his sentence trailed off at the sight of her. Both looked confused, but excited to see her.

"…Blake?" Nora asked in disbelief. "Ren, you see her too, right? I'm not going crazy?"

"Nora, Ren. It's nice to see you two again." Blake forced a smile. There was no point in worrying them. "I'm assuming Yang didn't tell you I was here?"

Nora quickly jumped up and hugged Blake, prompting a small admonition from Ren when Blake nearly dropped one of her crutches. "No, we had no idea! This is awesome!" Nora began babbling on as Blake followed her to the couch and sat next to the pair.

Ren waited until Nora was finished before he spoke again. "It truly is great to see you. Are you going to be traveling with us as well?" Ren had turned his entire body to face Blake, and he grinned at her.

"I don't think I have much choice," Blake responded with a small laugh, still smiling. Even with Adam's threat looming over her, she'd missed the others. She really had. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course we don't mind, silly! I'm sure Pyrrha will love to see you, too!" Nora was practically bouncing with excitement, but her words made Blake confused and concerned.

"…Pyrrha?" Blake asked cautiously, thinking back to the few snippets of news she'd heard while in hiding. "But didn't Cinder...?"

"Nope! Well, yes. But she got better... Sort of. She's a big fluffy Nymean now! She's just as kind and sweet and she still knows exactly how to cheer anyone up!" Nora gestured enthusiastically as she spoke, but Blake was even more confused.

"She's… a Nymean?" Instantly Blake's mind flashed to a powerful, lion-like Grimm the size of a house, covered in razor sharp spikes. "How?" Her brow furrowed as she struggled to think of any way a human could become a Grimm. Ren sighed and leaned back into the couch.

"We… Don't exactly know. Jaune's the only person who can understand her, and she either hasn't told him or she simply doesn't know herself. " He paused briefly, giving Blake time to process the information. "However, I can assure you that it's really her; both Nora and I have held conversations with her. She understood and even responded to what we were saying. Even though her aura is a little... wild... right now, you can still feel it and know whose it is," Ren shrugged and grimaced slightly. Blake leaned back, staring at the ceiling as she struggled to come to terms with the information.

"So… Can I speak to her, then?" She asked after a moment, brushing a stray lock of her hair behind her human ear. "I think I need to see her myself to believe it."

"Sure you can. As soon as you explain yourself," Yang's voice sounded from the bottom of the stairs. She and Blake locked eyes. "I think we deserve to know why you abandoned us in Vale."

Blake maintained eye contact for a few seconds, the night of The Fall replaying in her mind. Yang was right; they did deserve to know. But what would they do once they knew what was wrong? She didn't want them living in fear as she did - or worse, trying to attack the White Fang and drawing its attention to themselves.

"I've got all day." Yang raised an eyebrow and leaned on the wall.

Blake sighed, shifting slightly on the couch. She took one last glance up at Yang before beginning, "You remember my old partner, Adam?"

"Yeah, I believe we've met," Yang answered through gritted teeth, her eyes flashing red for a second at the mention of the man who had cut off her arm. Blake swallowed nervously and continued her story.

"Before you showed up to… Help me, he told me that he was going to destroy everything I love. And when both of us heard you calling my name, he said… He said you'd be first." Yang stared in shock, first at Blake, then at her stump arm. She raised her hand to her neck, as if suddenly realizing how close she'd come to death. Blake rubbed her arm and looked at the floor.

"I left… I left so that you'd be safe. So that everyone would be safe from Adam. He's a dangerous man, Yang, and I couldn't let him get to any of you again. I'm sorry." Yang shook her head and crossed the room to the couch, placing a hand on Blake's shoulder. "I... if I was gone... He couldn't follow me to you. You'd be safer. I didn't have time to tell you. I'm so sorry."

"Seriously?" Yang inquired. "You ran away... to protect us?" She shook her head. "Never mind. It doesn't matter anymore. We're together now, and Dust help Adam if he tries coming after us." She grinned encouragingly at Blake before sauntering off toward the kitchen. "Let's get some breakfast. Then we can all go see Pyrrha together." Blake nodded, grabbing her crutches. Yang glanced up at Blake's head. "Oh, and, uh, you might wanna lose the bow. It's shredded."

Blake raised a hand to her head in shock. Sure enough, her fingers brushed against the short, soft fur of her ears. The fabric of her bow was in tatters, barely held together by a few threads. She hesitated for a brief moment, then reluctantly tugged it off.


	12. Chapter 12

"Steady there!" Yang yelped as she grabbed Blake's arm to keep the Faunus from slipping and falling flat on her face. Blake blushed in embarrassment as she regained her balance. Ice and crutches were not a good mix, and this was a fact she was discovering in the worst possible way. They were only halfway down the street, but she'd already been caught three times. Her only solace was that it was too early for most of the townsfolk to be awake, so only Yang, Ren, and Nora were around to see her stumbling about like a newborn fawn.

"You'll get the hang of it," Nora assured her.

"Hopefully before I break anything else," Blake muttered. "Just how far away is this stable?"

Pyrrha stirred as she heard Nora's voice drawing closer. Jaune was still fast asleep, curled up next to her stomach and between her paws. Pyrrha briefly considered moving him, but thought better of it. The last time she'd tried, she'd sent him tumbling across the stable and scratched his arm. She did not want a repeat of that disaster.

"Heyyy Pyrrha!" Nora called in a sing-song voice as she opened the door. "We've got a surprise for you!" Ren and Yang quickly followed the enthusiastic ginger inside, and Ren leaned down to stroke Pyrrha's mane.

Pyrrha lifted her head and yawned. This could be fun, and it had to be more interesting than watching Jaune breathe. Really, he was adorable, but she was seeing enough of him in the memories he inadvertently sent her in his sleep, and embarrassing as some of those memories were, they were still more interesting than watching him sleep.

"Watch the bump," Yang cautioned to someone outside.

"Yeah, I got it," they snapped back. Pyrrha recognized the voice immediately. "How does she even fit in here anyway?"

"What do you mean?" Nora asked. "Why wouldn't she fit in here?"

"Nora, have you ever seen a Nymean?" Blake asked as she stepped inside, supported by a pair of crutches. Pyrrha noticed immediately that the girl had abandoned her bow, revealing her charcoal colored cat ears. "Because if this is some prank to get back at me, I don't- Agh!" She tripped, and Yang barely managed to grab her scarf before she hit the ground. She hauled the Faunus to her feet while Ren handed her the crutches.

"This is going to be worse than the White Fang's Hell week, isn't it?" Blake moaned.

"Don't be so melodramatic." Yang chuckled. "They're just crutches."

"In the dead of winter!" Blake shot back. "And secondly-" She stopped abruptly when she noticed Pyrrha, her jaw dropping as she looked the Nymean over. Pyrrha purred softly as the Faunus hobbled over. She nuzzled Blake's hand and stared her straight in the eyes. She expected the girl to question her identity, just as everyone else had.

"This is it?" Blake asked, thoroughly confused. "Guys... She's a baby."

Blake attempted to scramble back as Pyrrha leapt to her feet and snarled in rage. The Nymean's razor sharp claws slid from her paws, and she pushed Jaune - who was now trying to wake up and was very much confused - to the side. Ren quickly stepped between the lion Grimm and Blake, holding out his hands. Blake could see the thin wisps of aura trailing from his palms as a shield.

"Jaune, you need to wake up!" Nora shouted. "Like, right now!"

"I'm up already!" Jaune hollered. "What did you say?!" "Actually, I think it was something Blake said," Nora replied.

"Wait, Blake's here?" Jaune opened his eyes. "Oh, hey Blake! Ow! Pyrrha, calm down! What do you mean you're a cub and not a baby? There's a difference?"

Blake's fear quickly turned to confusion as the Nymean turned its head to Jaune.

"Okay, okay, ow. Stop shouting! Yeah, I get it! There's a difference!" Jaune shouted before his eyes flashed with confusion. "Wait, who's the old guy teaching you earth-bending? Pyrrha?" The Nymean snorted in frustration and flopped onto the ground with her back to the group. Jaune attempted to reach out to her, but scampered back as she snarled viciously at him.

"She, uh, wants to be left alone," Jaune muttered. "For a while."

"Is that even possible for you two anymore?" Yang asked. "Aren't you... Like... Mentally bonded?"

"She can block me out." Jaune sighed as he rose to his feet. "Like she just did. Blake, why did you say she was a baby?" Pyrrha growled again and flicked an ear in annoyance.

Blake struggled to her feet. "Maybe we should explain out of her earshot. She might maul me."

Jaune nodded, then frowned. "Pyrrha, did you really just pull down your mental barrier to say she's not wrong?" The Nymean nodded while making a sound suspiciously close to wry laughter.

"Would it help if I said I was sorry?" Blake asked sheepishly. "I didn't mean to offend her."

Pyrrha lifted her head just enough to stare at Blake with one glowing green eye, then slowly lowered it with a sigh.

"She says it's fine. She just... Really wants to be alone." Jaune shrugged and rose to his feet.

* * *

 

"So, how old is she?" Jaune asked as soon as they were out of Pyrrha's earshot. Blake paused for a moment, seemingly considering the question.

"A month, maybe two?" Blake guessed, then shrugged. "I'm no expert on Grimm, Jaune, but I've seen full grown Nymeans. They're massive, almost as big as Mammoths."

"Have you ever fought one?" Jaune asked, trying not to sound too frightened.

"Never a full grown one," Blake said bluntly. "No one in their right mind goes near an adult Nymean if they can help it." She adjusted her grip on her crutches and continued forward.

"How long are you going to be stuck with those?" Jaune asked. The group needed to move on soon; every day they stayed was a day their enemy had to destroy another kingdom.

"Two weeks, give or take," Blake answered. "Even aura can't fix broken bones in a few hours, Jaune."

"I know." Jaune sighed as he looked around at the village. It wasn't just Blake that needed time to heal. Despite insisting that she was fine, Ruby had to avoid fighting until her side healed. On top of the girls' injuries, the constant Grimm attacks had worn everyone down, so they all needed a break. "I guess we get to enjoy some downtime."

"If you're bored, there's a forest full of Grimm right outside the gates." Yang pointed out past the village. "Maybe if you're lucky you'll get injured too." Blake rolled her eyes as Yang grinned at her. "You think Ruby's awake yet?"

"If she is, please keep her from hugging me until I sit down." Blake's ears turned back slightly. "No promises." Yang smirked.

* * *

 

"Yang?" Ruby called. "Blake? Dr. Grey? Anybody?" The girl could've kicked herself for sleeping in so late. A leader was supposed to set an example, not stay in bed until noon. Even Blake had woken up before her, and she was notorious for sleeping until well past three o'clock on her free days. If she was sleeping more than a cat Faunus, she had issues.

It didn't help that Yang had hidden Crescent Rose while she was asleep. Normally, she would've worked on the weapon when she was stuck indoors, but now it wasn't an option. With a sigh, Ruby flopped down on the couch and stared up at the ceiling fan. She didn't even realize someone had walked inside until Yang appeared in her field of vision. She screamed in surprise and flopped onto the floor, and Yang roared with laughter.

"Oh, Dust… Oh, Dust… Hey, sis!" Yang wheezed when she'd finally calmed down. "You feeling… Down?" She burst into a fresh peal of laughter as Ruby pushed herself up.

"Yang!" Ruby whined. "That's not funny! Why'd you sneak up on me?"

"C'mon, it was a little funny." Yang insisted, barely keeping herself together.

"How many terrible puns do you have?" Blake questioned from the doorway.

Yang paused to consider her partner's question. "How many months were you gone?"

"Blake!" Ruby squealed in delight as she saw her teammate. She barely stopped herself from using her Semblance to tackle the girl in a bear hug, and waited as patiently as she could for Blake to limp over to the couch. By the time the Faunus sat down, Ruby was trembling with excitement. She flung her arms around Blake's neck, squeezing the air from the girl's lungs.

"Hello, Ruby." Blake smiled as she returned the girl's hug. "How does your side feel?"

Ruby let go of Blake. "How'd you know about that?" Her hand fell to the long, stitched wound. It was healing nicely despite her refusal to stay in bed, mostly thanks to her aura. Blake glanced down at the wound as well, looking almost remorseful. For the first time Ruby realized that Blake was no longer wearing her bow.

"I was watching from outside when you woke up," Blake admitted, her cat ears turning back in shame as she blushed.

Ruby decided not to comment on how creepy that sounded. "You ditched your bow, huh?"

"It was already ruined," Blake said quickly. "I think one of the Fang soldiers I fought before I made it to the fringes of Vale shredded it. I was probably too panicked to notice." Ruby waited for a moment, but Blake didn't elaborate any further.

"You were fighting the White Fang on your way here?" Ren inquired.

"I was running from the White Fang on the way here," Blake corrected with a shudder. "Adam's made me a rare exception to his 'take no prisoners' rule, and from what I can tell, the price he's willing to pay to have me kneeling at his feet is high."

Ruby patted Blake's shoulder and smiled, letting the older girl know wasn't going to let anyone hurt her. The Faunus didn't smile, but she nodded in gratitude, and her ears perked up a bit. She leaned back on the couch, closing her eyes and sighing in relief. "If you don't mind, I'd rather rest here instead of trying to climb upstairs," Blake said.

"I'll carry you!" Yang offered. Blake frowned and opened her left eye to look at the blonde. She yelped as Yang swooped down and scooped her up with her one arm, grinning the entire time. "Going up!"

"Yang, wait!" Blake's protests fell on deaf ears as Yang bolted up the stairs. Ruby laughed and grabbed the Faunus's crutches before following the pair upstairs.

* * *

 

"Hey, Pyrrha," Jaune was ready as soon as the Nymean's mental barrier fell. He quickly excused himself from his conversation with Dr. Grey and stepped outside.

The village was awake now, with people running about attending their daily business. The smell of smoke as the blacksmith started up his forge, the newly returned messenger boy was shouting his news in the town square - Jaune was happy to hear that things were slowly growing better in Vale - and a group of kids chasing their dog trying to steal Crocea Mors. Again. A few people stopped to say hello or thank him for his hand in exterminating the Grimm that had been plaguing the village, and Jaune tried his best to politely respond to all of them.

Hello. Pyrrha finally replied as Jaune reached the village stable.

"Have you calmed down?" Jaune called.

 _You know you don't have to speak._ Pyrrha responded, her tone cagey. _No one else is here to listen._

 _Force of habit._ Jaune rolled his eyes. _So, can you answer the question now?_

 _Yes, Jaune, I've calmed down._ Pyrrha sighed as Jaune entered the stall she'd been staying in. _I wouldn't have removed the barrier if I was still upset._

 _Huh. I guess you've got a point there._ Jaune felt incredibly stupid. _So... What happened? Why'd you freak out?_ The Nymean focused her green eyes on Jaune and rose to her paws. She walked to his side and sat down with a sigh.

_I don't know. I've been thinking about it since you left, but there was no real reason for my temper to flare like that._

_At least you didn't actually hurt anybody._

_What about you?_

Jaune waved his hand and chuckled dismissively. _Scrapes and bruises. My aura's already taken care of it._

 _Jaune…_ The Nymean started, an apologetic tone coloring her voice, and Jaune raised a hand to cut her off.

 _I told you, Pyrrha. My aura's already fixed it, so there's no reason for you to worry. Or apologize._ Jaune sat down and rubbed Pyrrha's fur behind him. He slowly turned to lean his side into hers, looking into her eyes as he continued running his hand along her mane. _So anyway… What do you think about the stuff with Blake?_

 _I… I'm a little glad that she's returned. Yang will certainly be happier with her around again, and Ruby appears to have already perked up. It seems as though we'll be here for a while yet, however._ Pyrrha exhaled softly and laid her head down on the straw-covered floor, closing her eyes as Jaune's petting continued. She furrowed her brows as she thought back to the encounter earlier. _That "baby" comment was rude of her. I'm a_ cub _, not a petulant child, and I will not be called as such._

Jaune snorted at her before responding, "Pyrrha, you're kinda acting like a 'petulant child' right now." He gulped and grimaced as Pyrrha fixed a fiery emerald gaze on him.

 _You're lucky that I think you're cute, Jaune. Otherwise that comment may have earned you a shaved head or worse._ Pyrrha growled at Jaune before jerking her head away from his hand and scooting back a few inches from him.

"Okay, okay, I promise I won't say anything. Now will you come back so I can sit with you again?" Jaune smiled at Pyrrha, who had turned her face to him and was currently pouting with her fuzzy cheeks puffed out and her eyes locked on him. After a minute of staring at him, Pyrrha sighed in agitation and slowly pulled herself back over to Jaune's side, plopping down with a huff. Jaune leaned back into her side and continued petting her vibrant red fur, causing her to finally give in and purr softly as he gently scratched all down her side. Eventually, Jaune gave in to his curiosity from that morning and asked,"So, who was that guy I saw earlier in one of the memories you sent me?"

Pyrrha suddenly stopped purring, and her face contorted in sadness. _That… That was my father, Jaune. I… I don't really wish to talk about it._ Jaune could feel how depressed this topic was making the Nymean, so he gathered up his pillow and sleeping bag and laid down against her. _What are you doing?_

"I lost, like, an hour of sleep, Pyr."

 _Oh._ She placed her head on his chest. _I'm sorry._

_Don't worry about it._


	13. Chapter 13

"There you go, Pyrrha, you've almost got it… You just have to move it a little… Darn it." Ren's encouragement was cut short as Pyrrha's aura gave way and she leaned over, panting hard. The pair was sitting outside the village stable where Pyrrha had been staying, facing each other as they trained. They had been working like this for weeks, trying to tame Pyrrha's aura so that she could relearn the use of her Semblance. She hadn't had much success in that, but Ren was proud nonetheless that she had at least figured out how to lock her aura onto one object, namely one of the assorted small gears and metal pieces that Ren had laid out for her to practice on. He watched as Pyrrha laid down, clearly upset and frustrated, as she had been during most of their previous training sessions.

With a small, comforting sigh, Ren leaned over the metallic baubles and scratched Pyrrha behind her ear. "You did well, Pyrrha. You're learning very quickly. Be proud."

"Mind if I join you guys?" A voice asked from beside the pair. They looked up to see Blake standing next to them, leaning gingerly on one crutch with her bad foot now dressed in a boot. She carried a bag slung across her back, which she took off and handed to Ren as she sat down on the blanket Ren and Pyrrha had put over the frosty ground. "That's lunch for us three. Some sandwiches, and snacks for Pyrrha."

"...Did Yang's puns finally drive you out?" Ren questioned, opening the bag and pulling out the special pumpkin snacks that Jaune always packed for Pyrrha. The Nymean, having smelled the treats, immediately scooted closer to Ren, and gently laid her head on his leg. Ren slowly fed her each little snack, petting her mane as she chewed them. He grabbed the two sandwiches out of the bag to hand one to Blake, who reached over to grab it after she finally managed to settle into a sitting position.

"Thanks," she said as she unwrapped the sandwich and took the first bite. After swallowing, she continued, "No, I just couldn't stand being cooped up inside anymore. I think I'm finally getting the hang of using a crutch on ice." Blake accepted the bottle of water Ren handed her, then asked, "Are you guys still working on… Uh, Pyrrha's… Aura?" She glanced over at the Nymean, still seeming uneasy about having such a dangerous Grimm hanging around the group. Pyrrha nudged Blake's uninjured foot in an attempt to set her at ease.

"Yes, we are. She's improving quickly, but she's not quite there yet. It'll probably be a while before she is," Ren explained, gesturing to the various metal trinkets spread in the middle of the blanket. At the reminder of her current inability to use her Semblance, a dejected expression came across her face, and she backed away and laid down at the edge of the blanket, facing away from Ren and Blake. "As you can see, she isn't taking well to not being able to use it."

"I… See. I could always help out; I don't have anything better to do." Blake glanced over at Pyrrha before adding, "If she's up for more training, that is."At her words, Pyrrha's ears perked up and she raised her head. She shook it to clear her depression, then rose up and padded back over to her friends, a glint of determination in her eye. Ren turned his head from watching the Grimm move and smiled softly at Blake.

"I think she's ready."

* * *

 

At the Nite Lite Inn in Vale, Professor Glynda Goodwitch was pacing back and forth in her room, awaiting a response to the radio call she had put in to the other members of Ozpin's inner circle earlier that day. She needed help to keep a watch on and gather intel about that strange "Red Lion" and the students that were traveling with it. Just as she reached the far end of the room, the radio crackled to life behind her, and she ran to the desk to snatch it up.

"Hello? Goodwitch? This is General Ironwood of Atlas. Do you read?" Glynda let out a sigh of relief as she heard the General's voice come on over the speaker. She hadn't really thought the signal would be strong enough to reach Atlas, even though it was a military radio salvaged from one of their fallen ships. It really was a miracle the thing worked at all. She composed her thoughts for a moment before pressing the button to respond.

"Ironwood, this is Goodwitch. I read you." The radio was silent again for a moment before Glynda added, "I called you because there's something… Interesting that I'd like to discuss, if you aren't already aware of it."

"…Go on, Glynda." Ironwood's curiosity came across in his tone of voice, but he also seemed wary of what news the professor had to tell. Glynda was certain that he had had plenty of bad news thrust his way over the months since the Battle of Beacon; however, she really needed his help.

"The Red Lion." Glynda sat down at the desk, waiting to see if the phrase got any response. When the radio remained quiet, however, she continued. "The people say there's a sentient Grimm travelling around with some of my former students. A Nymean with red fur and green eyes - how it got into Vale, who knows. They call it the Red Lion or Androcles' Lion, and they say it's peaceful. It's almost as intelligent as a human as well, from what I've heard. I'm not entirely certain what to make of it, but I could use your help, since those are my students with it." She sighed and leaned back in her seat, running a hand through her bangs as she waited for a response. This was all a fantastic mess, and she knew it.

Ironwood, on the other end of the line, was taking notes about the odd Grimm. "A sentient Grimm… A Nymean, no less… This is certainly interesting. I'll have my scientists and Specialists look into it, and we'll do everything we can to ensure the safety of those children. Thank you, Glynda." He exchanged goodbyes with his compatriot before getting up and beginning to walk around his office, notes in hand. As he walked, he began thinking out loud.

"A Grimm who isn't tied to the hive-mind… But why…? How would a Grimm detach itself from the rest like that? And with a strange fur and eye color, and a personality, no less… If we can capture it, we can study it. Maybe it will give us some answers if we do." Ironwood slowly made his way back over to his desk and set his notepad down before pressing a button on the surface. When his secretary responded to his paging, Ironwood asked her to summon the Specialist he knew he could trust with the job.

"Call in Winter Schnee for duty."


	14. Chapter 14

"All right kiddos, here's the deal," the heavy-set pilot said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Mistral has closed its borders to Vale. We try to fly in, and we're going to return to the ground in a very violent manner, you understand?" Jaune and Ruby nodded, and the man continued, "Good. Secondly, I don't have enough fuel to get you to Vacuo. That leaves you with two options: you can either forge on and try your luck in Atlas, or I can drop you off in Menagerie and you can wait there for this mess to blow over."

"All due respect sir, running and hiding isn't really our style," Ruby replied. She saw Blake glance awkwardly at her shoes, but the Faunus didn't comment.

The pilot laughed. "So, seven kids and a rogue Grimm trying to stop a world war? If I hadn't gone sober last year, I'd swear I was drunk. You've got stones, Rose, I'll give you that, but riddle me this: what do you plan to do once you get to Atlas? I doubt the Specialists will take kindly to the company you kids are keeping." Jaune and Ruby exchanged a nervous glance. The pilot had a point, they couldn't just show up in a major city with a Grimm in tow.

"Uh..." Ruby said, the picture of eloquence as always, "Well..."

"We have no idea," Jaune finished.

The larger man nodded in response. "All drive and no plan, eh?"

"Pretty much," Ruby admitted, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. The aviator smirked.

"Well, I suppose I'm not a member of this team, but if you want my advice, I suggest you leave your pets here in Vale," he mentioned robustly.

"Pets?" Ruby asked, thoroughly confused. "But we only have - "

Blake coughed loudly to catch her leader's attention, and Ruby turned to see her ears were turned back as she pointed at herself and frowned. Her body language was not lost on Yang, who rolled her eyes.

"Really?" Yang growled with a glare at the man before them.

The pilot held up his hands and explained, "It's just a joke, Xiao Long. Try not to break my leg over it." His smile, however, made it clear he didn't feel bad at all. Yang rolled her eyes at his idea of a joke.

"You know, I think I should go check on Ren and Pyrrha, maybe try and help out a bit. I'll see you guys later." Practically fuming at the man's arrogance, Yang stormed outside, slamming the door of the small house behind her. Blake glanced around and said a quiet goodbye before following her out.

"Heh. Some people can't take a joke," the man snickered rudely, and Ruby struggled to hold her tongue. They desperately needed this ride. No one else was willing to take a Grimm - or Yang – anywhere, so if that meant they'd have to put up with this captain's sense of humor for a day or two, then they had no other choice.

"Pyrrha and Blake are coming with us, sir," Jaune said a little more harshly than he had intended. Clearly the man's words had irked him as well.

"If you say so," he replied with a shrug. "But don't blame me if the Specialists hunt your Grimm friend down. So, when do we leave?" Jaune and Ruby exchanged another glance.

"We're going to need to discuss that with everyone else," Ruby answered. "Do you mind if we step out?"

"Does it look like I'm busy in here?" The pilot asked, gesturing vaguely around the room. It was empty besides Ruby, Jaune, and himself. "Take all the time you need, kid. Long as we're clear that I'm taking pay up front."

"We understand, sir!" Ruby chirped as she stood up and bowed slightly. "Thank you!"

* * *

 

"I hate him," Yang grumbled as she watched Pyrrha focus her aura on a single gear. The small piece of metal hovered in the air for a few seconds before falling back to the ground. Pyrrha growled slightly in frustration as it fell.

"You may have mentioned that about twenty times in the past fifteen minutes," Blake replied as she rubbed Pyrrha's mane reassuringly. Pyrrha purred and tried once again to lift the gear, and Blake turned to face Yang, arms crossed. "You're going to have to let it go, Yang. You know we need this ride."

"I know, I know!" Yang huffed in aggravation, "But he's such a di-"

"How's Pyrrha doing?" Ren asked as he approached the group, cutting Yang's insult short. As an answer to his question, Pyrrha lifted the gear momentarily with her Semblance, her eyes trained on it as she focused. She managed to toss it about an inch in his direction before her aura gave out, and Ren smiled and picked the piece up. "Good work," he praised the Grimm before turning to Yang and Blake. "I take it the meeting didn't go well for you?"

"That guy is – " Yang began, only to be cut off by Blake.

"No. But Ruby and Jaune were still going when we left." Ren nodded and tossed the gear at Pyrrha, who attempted to stop it in midair, but only succeeded in slowing its descent back to the ground. She growled and flipped it back up with her claw to try again, and again, and again. Yang had to admire her persistence.

"Nora's collecting our reward money from the last hunt," Ren stated as he watched Pyrrha work. "Once we add it to what we've got, it should be enough to get us to Atlas."

"Let's just hope the Specialists don't have a monopoly on the Grimm hunting over there." Yang smirked.

"If they're in anywhere near as much trouble as Vale, they'll need all the help they can get," Blake replied factually. "Which is good, because all of us except Pyrrha need to eat, and the animals aren't half as stupid in Atlas."

"You're talking like you've been there," Yang responded with a stare aimed at Blake, who raised an eyebrow. "Oh, right. White Fang. You've been everywhere."

"Everywhere except Menagerie." Blake nodded before adding, "And the Black Continent."

"Well, that goes without saying." Yang shuddered. Pyrrha growled in annoyance, and Yang glanced at her to see that the gear had become caught on one of her massive claws. Pyrrha shook her paw in an attempt to fling the gear away, but it was stuck.

"You want a hand with that?" Yang asked. Pyrrha shook her head and began scraping at the gear with her free paw, and after a few good scratches, the gear was cut in half. The halves fell to the ground, where Pyrrha focused her aura on one of them. It glowed black for a moment and hovered up into the air, and Pyrrha appeared to be having fun as she made the split piece slowly move around.

"Hey guys!" Ruby called as she and Jaune walked toward the group. "We've got a ride to Atlas!"

"Great," Yang replied sarcastically. "When are we leaving?"

"That's what we came to decide," Jaune answered, and Pyrrha took the opportunity to toss the gear piece towards him with her aura. It fell several feet short, but he noticed the black and bronze blur and smiled. "I can see that, Pyrrha," he responded to words Yang couldn't hear, and the Nymean purred and rose to her paws in response. Jaune picked up the gear and asked, "So, you think we should send it back to your place and tell your parents to frame it?" Pyrrha shook her head, and Jaune sighed at whatever she had said to him. "Yeah, don't know how we'd even explain that."

"I vote we leave as soon as possible," Yang cut in, bringing the pair back to the topic at hand. "The less time I have to stay around - "

"I agree with Yang," Ren said, interrupting her insult yet again. "Being airborne by tomorrow morning would be ideal." Yang glared at him, then noticed Nora approaching from the opposite direction.

"Dunno what we're talking about, but I'm with Ren," the ginger called from behind the team before tossing Jaune a wad of bills when he turned around. "Should be enough to cover the flight."

"Thanks, Nora," Jaune said, snatching the lien out of the air. "So, all agreed that we leave by tomorrow morning?" After everyone agreed, Jaune turned around and headed back to the pilot's home with the money in hand and determination written on his face. They were on their way.


	15. Chapter 15

Ironwood leaned against the desk in his office, staring out the window at the snowy mountain landscape of his kingdom. He watched as his bionic soldiers stood at attention at the street corners and his people wandered the city, safe from harm. At the sound of the buzzer on his holo-table, he turned around, answering with a sigh. "Come in."

"Hey, Jimmy." The general turned around at the sound of the familiar voice, scowling when he saw Qrow walking toward the desk. He walked around the front to meet his old friend halfway.

"Qrow. Where have you been?" Ironwood asked. He _was_ genuinely curious as to why and how Qrow had come to Atlas after so many weeks of being missing. He had to have a good reason, or he wouldn't have come all this way just to talk to Ironwood.

"Long story. There's somethin' more important I need to talk to you about," Qrow replied, crossing his arms as he faced the general. "A group of kids just arrived here today, along with their pet Grimm. They're here from Vale."

"Ah, are those the students Glynda radioed me about?" Qrow looked surprised for a moment, but nodded in response to the question. Ironwood continued, "They're in good hands, Qrow. My men will keep them safe while they're here."

"That'd better be a promise, Jimmy. Two of those kids are family," Qrow said, turning around to walk out. As he reached the door, he turned back, adding, "Oh, and just a warning. I assume Glynda told you about that Grimm? They're all pretty attached to it. Keep sayin' something about it being Pyrrha Nikos. So just… Be careful how you handle that. I don't want anybody getting hurt. Believe me, I will know." With that, he exited the office, closing the heavy metallic door behind him.

Ironwood walked back to the window and stared out over the city. On the far wall, various CCTV feeds flickered with live footage from the streets. A flash of red from the outer walls quickly caught his attention. He turned, spotting the newly arrived group. "Oh, you shouldn't worry, old friend. I'll be very careful how I handle that."

* * *

 

"You all right, Blake?" Yang asked the dark-haired Faunus next to her as she glared at everyone who stared at the girl's exposed ears. Blake nodded by way of response, her cat ears pressed back against her head in unspoken fear. It was a blatant lie; the dark haired girl was shaking like a leaf. She hugged her shoulders, attempting to make herself as small of a target as possible. Atlas was no stranger to racial violence, and despite her advantage of combat and aura training she was terrified of becoming another victim.

Pyrrha nudged Blake from behind, attempting to encourage her as the group trudged along, but a glance behind her confirmed that Pyrrha was also afraid; the fear shone in her emerald eyes, and she walked along with shoulders slouched and body pressed lower to the ground than she normally would be. The growing diamond-shaped plate on her chest was invisible from almost every angle. The only reason besides blind luck she hadn't been recognized as a Grimm was her lack of other bone plates. From a distance, the Grimm looked like a bear dog with shaved, vibrantly dyed fur.

Blake realized that Pyrrha's fear must've been so much stronger than hers, since this was the first time she had walked through one of the Kingdoms in her new body. She put aside her own fear for a moment to comfort the Grimm. "Hey, it's all right. We'll get through this. The others will never let anyone hurt us, Pyrrha." In response, the Nymean nudged against Blake's hand and purred softly.

Blake yelped as Yang snatched a rock that had been heading for the cat's head straight out of the air and returned it to its sender in one fluid movement. Blake refused to turn around as the assailant - a teenager from the sound of things - shouted angrily at both of them. Yang attempted to give the young man very colorful advice about where he should shove his slingshot, but Blake cut her off before she could finish her rant with an elbow to the ribs.

"You got your point across. Knock it off before you get us arrested for disturbing the peace."

"But he - " Yang tried to protest. Blake glared.

"We're just passing through. Don't draw any attention to yourself." Blake said. "Need I remind you that your reputation as nearly as bad as a Faunus's? It's bad enough we had to bring Pyrrha inside so she wouldn't get shot be the Specialists out in the woods. This is just life here for a Faunus. Do I like it? No. It's horrible. But we just have to deal with it." Pyrrha nuzzled the cat's hand again, and Blake rubbed her broad muzzle.

The pair stuck close together as they continued their trek. The group reached the hotel they had been heading for, and Jaune and Ruby headed inside to pay for rooms for all of them. While they were inside, the others meandered about the square, going from shop to shop and seeing what they could find. There were several ammunition shops, a couple of blacksmith shops, and other various other stores, including an ice cream parlor and a toy store. Back in Vale, the scene would've put Blake at ease. Here, the stores only served as a reminder that there were dozens of people around that could potentially wish to harm her. She really missed her bow.

At the first blacksmith shop which claimed to make Dust prosthetics, Yang separated from the group to find out about the possibility of having one made. Ren, Nora, Pyrrha, and Blake continued on around the square until they reached the ice cream parlor, where Ren and Nora headed inside.

"Just wait for us out here, guys. We won't be long, and we'll bring something back for you, too!" Nora said with excitement, petting Pyrrha before following after Ren. Pyrrha whined quietly and sat down, looking around apprehensively. Blake stayed standing beside her, every nerve on edge at being in a… less-than-friendly city with just Pyrrha to help her out if worst came to worst.

"I would kill for some catnip tea right now." Blake sighed as she looked around. Pyrrha stared up at her. "Yeah, yeah it's stereotypical, I know. Sometimes stereotypes exist for a reason. But have you ever had catnip tea?" The lion shook her head. "Well it's got this minty flavor to it and -" Blake paused and glanced down the street as she heard the sound of mechanical whirring.

At first, the positions of the robotic soldiers at the street corners around them seemed normal, but as more and more slowly began to congregate, Pyrrha stood up and growled, and Blake put a hand on Gambol Shroud's hilt. The two stayed still as even more androids and even a few soldiers gathered, waiting for an explanation as to why what seemed like the entire Atlas military was slowly pinning them down. The circle only got tighter around the pair, and Blake pulled out her sword, holding it out beside her to show that she was willing to defend herself. Pyrrha turned so that she and Blake were back-to-back, growling louder and baring her teeth as they were surrounded.

"Miss Blake Belladonna? We're here to place you under witness protection," one of the soldiers announced. "Please drop your weapon. You're not in trouble. No need to make a scene."

Blake wasn't convinced. She had done nothing wrong since they had arrived, and they had no reason to put her in 'witness protection', which meant they were either targeting her because she was a Faunus or they were after Pyrrha. Blake wasn't about to let these hunks of junk take either of them without a fight, whatever their true reason was.

"What do you really want?" She responded, her grip on Gambol Shroud tightening. None of the robots responded for a moment, and Blake glared at the soldier.

"Listen flea bag, I don't have time for this." The soldier sighed. "Drop you weapon or it will be taken by force."

"Pyrrha! Blake!" Ren's shouts cut through the brief, tense silence, and Blake could see him and Nora trying to get through to them with little success. From the other side, Pyrrha saw Jaune, Ruby, and Yang running toward them, and could feel her partner's fear and worry through their link.

 _Jaune! We're coming, I promise!_ The Nymean shouted, launching herself forward with a roar. _Get out of here!_ She could see Jaune hesitate, but he slowly turned and started to run.

As her claws tore into the first of the soldiers, Blake began attacking those on her side as well. The pair fought back to back for several minutes against the horde of soldiers trying to capture them. Just when it seemed like they were close to getting out, Blake felt a prick in her arm. She looked down to see a small vial-shaped dart with a red piece of fluff on the end sticking out of her shoulder. It was small enough that her aura wouldn't have focused on it. Blake ripped the dart out of her shoulder and threw it away from her, but as she began feeling strength drain from her she realized what it was; one of the soldiers had just shot her with a tranquilizer.

She gasped and looked at the soldier that approached, her eyes wide with terror as the scene momentarily shifted. The figure before her became a tall, lean young man with gracefully curved horns and a smile that wouldn't have seemed out of place on the face of the Devil himself. He raised his blood red sword, ready to swing it through her neck. The hallucination ended as her knees buckled and she fell, dropping the two halves Gambol Shroud just out of reach. Blake's vision began to blur, and she helplessly watched the man kick her weapons even further away before she passed out.

Behind her, Pyrrha continued fighting even as four of the small darts had already struck her. She left them where they had hit, instead choosing to take out her fear and anger on the robots in front of her, but shortly after the fifth dart struck, she swayed back and forth on her feet before collapsing onto the pavement. Her strength sapped and her mind clouded with how tired she suddenly was, Pyrrha could only stare as a figure stepped out of the crowd of soldiers, and her eyes widened as the seemingly familiar white-haired woman swam in her vision. Right before Pyrrha let sleep take her, she had one final thought:

_Weiss?_


	16. Chapter 16

"If you keep staring out the window with every second of your free time, you're going to start looking like the general." Weiss didn't look up as her sister placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Weiss, have you considered doing anything more productive when you've nothing else to do?"

"Like what, exactly?" The younger sister scoffed. "Combat exercises? No, thank you. I've done quite enough in that military recruitment ground masquerading as a Huntsmen academy."

"That's not what I was going to suggest, though I will ask that you rein in your temper before you find yourself mouthing off to father." Weiss rubbed her eyes.

"You're right. I'm sorry, Winter." She stood, smoothing down her skirt as she turned to face her sister. "You didn't come here to tell me off for looking out a window, though, did you?"

"That's the butler's job - or Father's, when he bothers to come up here- not mine," Winter said curtly. "If you want to spend hours staring out of a window and daydreaming, it's your business. I would be lying if I said I didn't care, but that's beyond the point." Winter held out her scroll and pressed the "play" icon visible on the screen. Weiss had to replay the video several times to comprehend what her elder sister was showing her.

A familiar dark-haired girl was deep in combat with a small army of Atlesian troops, her body moving with feline grace as her sword left bright violet streaks in its wake. Whenever a baton or bullet came close, she would disappear in a shadow and reappear just a foot or two away. The footage was grainy - clearly taken straight from a CCTV - but the style and Semblance were unmistakable. Fighting alongside Blake was some sort of large, red animal. An Atlesian Grimm-hunting dog, maybe? But why would she have such a large and notably aggressive dog with her? She'd been terrified of Ruby and Yang's tiny little corgi!

The two managed to hold their own for several minutes, but then a streak of silver struck Blake in the arm. The cat ripped it out, but she was already stumbling. Her legs finally gave out as one of the soldiers approached. It took at least five darts to take down the larger animal, and it was Winter herself that went in to confirm the creature was unconscious. Weiss stared at the screen, slack jawed and, for the first time in a while, completely speechless.

"You never mentioned one of your team members was a Faunus," Winter said casually. "I assume it's not something you'd want to bring up in casual conversation?"

"W... what is this?" Weiss managed to ask as her mind registered the implications of Blake fighting police officers. "Why was she fighting the police force? And what was she doing with a dog? Blake hates dogs!"

"It wasn't a dog," Winter answered matter-of-factly. "It was a Grimm. A Mistrali Nymean, approximately four months old." Weiss's stomach churned. Fighting the police force with a Grimm. Blake would never rejoin the Fang, would she? Winter continued, keeping her voice soft to avoid upsetting her sister further, "As for Blake, that was just a... Misunderstanding. I've watched the footage salvaged from the AK-200s. Belladonna was very clearly on edge before the officers approached her."

"Officers?" Weiss snapped. "That was a small army!"

Winter glowered at her little sister, a silent warning that Weiss was about five seconds away from a smack upside the head. "Would you like me to finish explaining?" Weiss sheepishly nodded. Winter continued.

"The call was put out this morning to take seven former Beacon Academy students who had entered the city into witness protection and to capture the Nymean traveling with them. Blake Belladonna was the first of the group to be identified by the Atlesian Knight-200's security algorithms, and she was unlucky enough to have the Grimm near her. The human police captain failed to defuse the situation, and Belladonna went on the attack. By the time I arrived, she'd already been sedated." She noticed the accusatory look in Weiss's eyes and finished, "If I'd gotten there sooner, sister, believe me when I say I would've found some way to bring her in peacefully."

"Where is she now?" Weiss asked.

"I was beginning to wonder if you'd ask," Winter replied. "She's being held in the detention center at Atlas academy so she can cool off without harming anyone. By the time you arrive, she should be waking up."

Before Winter had even finished speaking, Weiss was halfway out the door and pulling on her jacket. She bolted down the hallway, skidding to a halt and slowly walking back to her room. She poked her head through the doorway.

"Don't tell Father where I'm going," she said.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Winter smirked.

* * *

 

Blake opened her eyes, blinking to clear the fog from her vision and wincing at the seemingly blinding light of the room she was in. It took several minutes for her to even register the dull gray wall she was staring at as she shielded her eyes and pushed herself upright. She didn't feel any pain beyond her pounding headache, but her mouth felt like cotton. The Faunus took a deep breath and looked around. The walls of the windowless room were made of gray stone, and the only door was some sort of heavy metal. A steel toilet and a sink sat in one corner. The only thing passing as furniture in the cramped cell was the bunk she'd woken up on.

Blake tugged the rough blanket off of her legs and stood, wobbling and leaning against the wall as she did so. It felt like an eternity before she was steady enough to walk on her own. Satisfied that she could move, she began to inspect the cotton pad taped over the crook of her arm, wondering just how many antidotes the police had given her after she'd been knocked out. Professor Port had made a point of warning his students of just how dangerous Grimm tranquilizers could be if administered to a human or Faunus. She was so lost in thought that she almost failed to notice the band on her arm.

A strap of black nylon not unlike a small dog collar was belted to her right arm, and a black box with a blinking red light was attached to it. _A vitals monitor?_ Curious, Blake tugged at the strap and yelped in pain and surprise when her curiosity was rewarded with a painful electric shock. She frowned when she saw the thin metal plate between the small box and her skin.

 _They locked me in a shock restraint?!_ Blake was more offended than surprised. She didn't care if was on her arm and not her neck; a shock collar was a shock collar.

The door swung open, and Blake shrunk back in fear as the guard entered with his baton in hand. Her immediate thought was that the shocker somehow had some way of notifying her captors when she attempted to remove it. She held up her hands to prove she hadn't found anything to arm herself with.

"I- I didn't realize," she stammered. "I was just-"

"What are you babbling about, cat?" The guard snapped. Blake shut her mouth, and the man lowered his weapon. "You've got a visitor. Let's go." Blake didn't resist as the man handcuffed her and roughly guided her out of the cell and down the hall. She was too tired and scared to fight, and knew any attempt at escape wouldn't end well for her. A push or two was better than an electric shock or another dart.

"You two have ten minutes," The guard said gruffly, shoving Blake into the visitors' room. "Don't try anything, fur ball."

Wow, creative. Blake rolled her eyes and sighed as the guard turned around. The man had barely stepped foot outside when Blake was almost thrown off her feet. A familiar white-clad girl nearly crushed the air from her old team mate's lungs as she tackled her in a hug.

"If we weren't surrounded by guards right now, I would slap you," Weiss whispered with a suddenly dissonant smile. "What were you thinking?!"

"Ummm...?" Blake glanced around nervously. "What are you...?"

"Fighting the Atlesian police?" Weiss snapped. "Entering the city with a Grimm?"

"A Grimm?" Blake asked in bewilderment. Suddenly, she remembered everything that had happened. "Oh, Dust. Pyrrha."

"Pyrrha?" Weiss stepped back, holding Blake at arms' length. The Faunus quickly realized her mistake. She couldn't just start rambling about a Grimm with a human soul in front of Weiss and Dust knew how many eavesdropping guards. She was probably already considered a dangerous criminal; she didn't need to be seen as a raving lunatic as well.

"N-nothing," Blake said. "I guess I'm still a little loopy from the sedative."

Weiss locked eyes with the cat. "Blake, I spent most of my time around you, Yang, and Ruby for almost a year and at this point I think I can tell when all three of you are lying. What's really wrong?" Blake glanced at the open door nervously.

"Not here, Weiss. There are too many people around." The look in the Faunus's eyes made it clear to Weiss that she wasn't going to change her mind.

"Fine," Weiss sighed. "But who were you with, besides the Grimm? You didn't..." Weiss lowered her voice and leaned closer. "You didn't rejoin the Fang, did you?" Blake stared in shock, and Weiss quickly clarified, "I know you would never do it willingly, Blake, but-"

"That bridge burned the night Beacon fell, Weiss," Blake cut in, hurt evident in her tone. "Too many people around to clarify, but believe me, I'm not with them."

Weiss nodded. "I believe you. One more thing, though. Why'd you fight the police? They were trying to take you into witness protection!"

Blake blinked. "Wait. They were actually trying to protect me?"

"Yes!" Weiss huffed. "And not just you! Whoever else was with you! Which would be who, exactly?"

Blake's shoulders slumped. On the one hand, she was relieved the others weren't stuck in jail with her. On the other hand, she'd overreacted, caused a scene, and gotten herself arrested for nothing.

"Ruby, Yang, Jaune, Ren, Nora, and-" Blake stopped herself short of saying Pyrrha's name. "The Grimm. It's been following us since we arrived in Atlas. It wasn't hurting anything, so we just let it be." The Faunus was surprised at how easily the lie had come; even if Weiss didn't buy it, she was too excited by the news of the others' presence in the city to care. Her ice blue eyes were wide, and a huge smiled crossed her face.

"I don't know where they are," Blake admitted.

"But they're here, in the city!" Weiss pressed excitedly, the news almost too good to be true. Blake nodded.

"Your time's up, girls!" The guard called as he reentered the room. "Say your goodbyes."

Weiss nodded. "Blake, you should only be here for another day or two. Just keep your head down, alright? And it was nice to see you again, even if the circumstances are less than ideal."

Blake smiled at her teammate. "Good to see you too, Weiss."


	17. Chapter 17

Blake awoke the next morning to a clamor in the hall outside of her cell. She hunkered down in her bed, hoping to stay out of trouble until whatever was happening passed, and listened as the guards brought in what sounded like a particularly rowdy inmate. Blake's cat ears twitched as she picked up a voice in the struggle.

"Let me go! You pigs assaulted my friends! They have rights and so do I!" Blake perked up as she recognized Yang's voice outside her door and sighed when she realized that whatever Yang had done, she wasn't going to let them lock her up without a fight. She sat up and waited patiently, hoping to catch a glimpse of Yang as the guards brought her by. She was surprised, however, when instead the guards stopped outside her cell and opened the door.

"You filthy, racist cops! You slime-balls! You pri- Ow!" Blake leaped to catch her partner as the officers roughly threw her inside and watched as the blonde spluttered at the guards behind them, throwing out a few more choice words before finally rising to her feet, red eyes flashing and hair ablaze. As the officers closed the door, Blake spoke.

"So, Yang, what did you do?" Yang turned back to face Blake and brushed her skirt off before answering.

"Well, let's see. I may have… Assaulted an officer? Or three?" She said, flinching when Blake shot her a glare before throwing her hands up. "Hey, they started it when they kidnapped you guys! I mean, sure, I punched some guys, but they attacked me first! And you shoulda seen Jaune. Speaking of which – where's Pyrrha?" At her question, Blake's expression turned sour and she looked away.

"I… I don't know. The guards won't tell me anything. I just… I hope she's all right," the Faunus replied, a note of concern and worry in her voice as she rubbed one arm. Yang sighed at the response and ran a hand through her still slightly smoldering locks. Blake noticed a black band identical to the one on her arm belted around Yang's.

"Oh, man. Jaune's gonna be _ticked_. I can only imagine what they're doing to her right now," she said as she walked over to the bunk and sat down. "And the longer they have her, the worse whatever they're doing will get." Yang glared at her feet and tightened her fist until her knuckles were almost white. After all that Pyrrha had done for her friends and sister, she was just going to be treated like some lab rat and there was nothing they could do about it; to say Yang was frustrated would be an understatement. Blake sat down next to the blonde and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Yang, it's okay. We'll get this figured out. We'll get her out of this just as soon as they let us go," Blake said in reassurance, rubbing her hand in circles on Yang's shoulder blade to calm her down. Yang glanced up tiredly at the cell door and exhaled harshly.

"I hope so."

* * *

Jaune didn't know how he'd found himself wandering around Atlas, staring at the suddenly bright colors and trying to block out the sounds of the city buzzing in his ears. He kept trying to contact Pyrrha through their link, but only got a bunch of loud static in his head every time. He was worried and on the verge of panic, but he couldn't figure out what was going on or where he was now, anyway. The last thing he remembered was being in the hotel room with Ren, Nora, and Ruby after Yang's arrest, and then… How had he gotten here?

"Pyrrha? Pyrrha… Pyrrha, please… Where are you? It's so loud here," Jaune whimpered as he meandered about the city, unable to focus on anything around him. He could hear cars skidding to a stop nearby, but he didn't know where; everything was blurry and unfocused. It felt like he was sleepwalking, and it was only getting worse.

He didn't even notice when a pair of bystanders pulled him from the street before he fell unconscious.

* * *

Ren struggled to keep up with Nora as the small ginger ran down the street, calling out for Jaune as she went. Neither one was sure exactly what had happened. After the scene with Blake and Pyrrha and Yang's subsequent arrest, they'd circled back and regrouped with Jaune and Ruby at the hotel. As they tried to come up with a strategy to break the others out, they had all noticed Jaune spacing out more and more before finally, he had just wandered out without a word. It seemed as though he'd been high on something. As soon as they realized that he may have been affected by something happening to Pyrrha, they ran out after him, but he's already vanished in the streets.

Ren watched as Nora dejectedly walked back towards him. A few people in the crowd shot her funny looks as she passed, but no one commented on her shouting.

"Ren, d'you think we'll be able to find him? I can't even see above this crowd, and Jaune usually stands out pretty well," Nora commented worriedly, shoulders slumped. Ren took one last look around for his teammate before replying to Nora.

"I'm sure we will. Jaune –" Ren was cut off as he noticed a dark-haired woman standing in one of the alleyways nearby. She wore a white mask covered in red markings similar to one of a White Fang member, and though Ren couldn't see her eyes, he could feel her looking at him. The woman hadn't been there a second ago. She gestured for Ren to follow, and he tapped Nora's shoulder to get her attention before cautiously following the mysterious feather-haired stranger.

They struggled to keep up with the stranger as she cut through the alleys and streets with ease, only stopping to sidestep someone or avoid being hit. No one seemed to notice her, no matter how close she came to them. She never said a word or turn to check that Ren and Nora were still behind her. Just as Ren became suspicious, she took a sharp turn around a corner and vanished from sight.

"Wait!" Nora called to the woman before sprinting ahead of Ren to catch up to her. When she reached the corner, she abruptly stopped and turned back to Ren with confusion in her eyes before saying, "She's gone."

"Hold it!" A voice from around the corner yelled, and Nora gasped, backing up slowly as a police officer stepped into sight. Ren's eyes widened in shock and he ran to Nora's side as three more officers stepped out of the shadows and surrounded them. The partners exchanged a glance as they suddenly understood: That woman had led them right into a trap.

"Take it easy. We're not here for a fight," the first officer announced with his hands up to show he wasn't holding a weapon. Neither of the two students spoke; after what had happened to their friends earlier, they weren't apt to believe the Atlas Police's word. Instead, they stepped closer together and glowered at the men around them, and the officer sighed before speaking again. "Listen, kids. We're here to bring you into witness protection, I promise. Your friends earlier just misunderstood. You're tired, you're stressed. It's okay, we get it; they'll both be released in a few days. And if it's that lanky blonde boy you're looking for, he's fine. Two Atlas students found him and got him to us before he got hurt."

Nora's stance eased as the man raised his scroll and showed them a picture of Jaune. He was passed out and lying down in a cell, but he wasn't cuffed or hurt. Ren heaved a sigh of relief as he looked at the officer. The man quickly put his scroll away and said, "The cell's only temporary, until we can get a better space set up for you guys to stay in."

Ren glanced around. It wasn't as if he and Nora had much choice; the officers that had gone after Yang had been equipped with the gear they needed to put her out of action. It made sense to assume that if the masked woman had led them here, these officers would be prepared to face he and Nora. "All right, then. We'll come with you," Ren responded before grabbing Nora's hand. "Just one question." The officer nodded, clearly relieved he wasn't going to have to fight. "Who was that woman you sent to lure us here?"

The officer looked confused. "Kid, nobody lured you here. You two ran straight into a police checkpoint on your own."

* * *

Jaune awoke to find himself laying down with a buzz still in his head and a massive headache coming on. In an attempt to reorient himself, he sat up slowly and looked around. Jaune's eyes quickly widened as he realized that he was in a small, dark room, and panic began to claw at him as he felt the walls begin to close in. He lurched to his feet, trying to keep his fear under control, and walked around the cell in hopes of finding an exit. The closest thing were the bars directly in front of him.

Eventually, he couldn't contain his panic anymore. Jaune lunged for the bars, gripping them tightly until his knuckles were sheet white wrapped around them. He stared out at the hall outside his cell, face pale and knees weak, and cried out for help in a shrill, hoarse voice. Minutes passed and the room only continued to close in around Jaune, and he began gasping for breath as his fear sucked what little air he had out of his lungs. He called out more desperately, nearly screaming as the space around him grew smaller and smaller, as flashbacks began hitting him, as he heard the rockets underneath him firing off –

After a few minutes of Jaune's panicked screams, a guard finally arrived to see what was wrong. The young woman flipped her vibrant red hair from her eyes to get clearer look. Jaune's eyes widened further as suddenly the woman was someone else, and he was somewhere else, somewhere cold and dark while she was out in the night, while she sent him off without a word, while she went to her death –

Jaune's cries for help quickly turned into something else. "Pyrrha! Pyrrha! Don't leave me!" He cried, reaching out through the bars for the guard, who backed up a few inches and stared at him, brown eyes glinting in confusion. No, brown eyes – that wasn't right, her eyes are green, they're green and he's losing them, he can't lose them, he won't lose them… "Pyrrha! Please! Pyrrha!"

There're two people on either side of him, pulling him away from the bars, away from her and he can't, he can't, she's going to die and these walls keep getting closer and he can't. He hears one of the people next to him saying something, shouting, pulling him back and he claws his way back. They let him go and he lunges for the bars again, still shouting her name, but this time the redhead's not there… One of the people in the cell with him says something to the guards and they open the door and grab Jaune, and he pushes his way forward and out of the tight space as his lungs open back up, but the flashbacks are still hitting him hard as they lead him down the hall and through a door.

* * *

Pyrrha woke up to find herself staring through the heavy mesh wall of a cage into what looked like a lab. Men in stark white coats walked around her prison, watching her. They occasionally prodded at her paws or jotted things down on pieces of paper. The effects of the tranquilizers hadn't worn off yet, so Pyrrha couldn't focus long on anyone, and she didn't bother trying. She closed her eyes and waited for the buzzing in her head to stop. She needed to think.

Just as the noise in her head began to let up and strength returned to her limbs, the doors on the far side of the room slammed open. Irrational panic flooded through her, and she struggled to her paws. Someone was calling - no, _screaming_ \- her name, and even in her haze it didn't take long for her to realize it was Jaune.

"Pyrrha! Pyrrha, Pyrrha, please! Please don't do this! Pyrrha!" She turned toward the voice and saw Jaune being dragged towards her cage by a pair of soldiers. They carelessly dropped him in front of the cage and backed away as Pyrrha began to scratch at the mesh. As the cage doors swung open, she snarled at the guards and scrambled to Jaune's side, skidding clumsily on the polished white floor. Jaune stared up at her. He was drenched in sweat and white as a sheet, and his eyes were puffy from crying. He lay on the ground staring up at her for several seconds before his eyes welled up with tears once more, and he flung his arms around her neck.

Pyrrha placed a paw on his back as he sobbed and mumbled her name. She stared at the scientists and soldiers surrounding them and felt a protective instinct rise in her chest. The Nymean growled and grabbed the hood of Jaune's sweatshirt in her fangs, dragging him back towards the cage. The soldiers shouted and drew their weapons, but Pyrrha swiped at them with her claws, and they quickly backed off.

Satisfied he was safe, Pyrrha wrapped her front paws around him and began to purr as she nuzzled his hair. He clung to her neck like a monkey, still mumbling in hoarse whispers. She paid little heed to the scientists as the closed the door and began recording their observations. No doubt the interaction was beyond inconceivable to them. She didn't care. Jaune was more important.

* * *

Evil laughter echoed throughout Salem's lair as she walked toward Ozpin's cell with a malicious grin on her face. For once, something had gone right in her plan to get rid of that ridiculous Nymean, and she couldn't _wait_ for her to meet her end once again. Ozpin glared at her as she approached, shackles clanging as he stood.

"Ozpin, Ozpin, Ozpin," Salem began, rolling the old wizard's name off of her tongue. Ozpin's eyebrows raised slightly in silent curiosity.

"Salem. What has you so pleased with yourself?" At his question, the witch chuckled.

"Well, old _friend_ ," she began, spitting out the word with vitriol, "It seems your little _student_ has been captured in Atlas. The humans will begin experimenting on her any day now." Ozpin looked at her in confusion. She could practically hear the questions flying through his head; why would Miss Nikos being captured be any issue to him? Surely if she died, her soul would be reborn as a human, right? Salem tittered at him.

"No, Ozpin, it seems you don't understand," Salem said, red eyes glinting in glee. "She's one of mine now. If she dies… Her soul comes back here to me," she finished, watching for the old man's reaction. His eyes widened as the implications of her soul coming back here hit him, and he whipped his head up to look Salem in the eyes. "That's right, old friend. And this time, I'll be sure to crush whatever humanity she has left."

A wide smile spread back across the witch's face, and her captive narrowed his eyes at her in silent rage. "You will _never_ break her, Salem."

"Oh, Ozpin. I've broken far stronger minds than that of a silly school girl." Salem walked away from the cell, turning back to add, "Say goodbye to your precious pupil, Ozpin, along with your hope!" With that, she strode off, cackling evilly as Ozpin sunk to the ground in defeat.

* * *

**It's hiiiiiiiiiiiigh noon - pyrrhadise**


	18. Chapter 18

"You can do this," Ruby breathed out as she stood staring at the chain-link fence surrounding the prison. It was small and, besides the large fence, completely uniform with all the other buildings on the campus. Two Atlesian Knights stood sentry by the gate, with several more near the door. They seemed different from the AK-200s that had attacked Blake and Pyrrha, but in the end Ruby knew it didn't matter. She had no plan, no back-up, and no idea where Blake, Pyrrha, Yang, and the others were being held in the building. To make matters worse, she didn't know how many soldiers were waiting inside. The odds were against her, but that was her problem: she couldn't resist trying to do the impossible.

 _Maybe I'm more like Yang than I thought_ , she mused as she pulled Crescent Rose from her belt and flipped up the scope. With two swift shots, the robotic guards at the gate fell to the ground, sparks flying from holes in their heads. The others were instantly on high alert, but by the time they made it out of the gate, Ruby was already there with Crescent Rose, hacking through them like they were nothing. She stood and barely had time to register the appearance of the soldier standing in the prison doorway before everything went white.

The noise was the loudest thing she'd ever heard; it was like a dozen bombs were going off right next to her ears. Ruby stumbled blindly, unsure of what had happened, and nearly fell flat on her face before something grabbed her arms and forced them behind her back. She was too disoriented to struggle as she was roughly dragged to her feet, and as her sight returned she could see there was a man behind her. Soldiers surrounded her, saying things she couldn't hear, and Ruby's heart sank when she saw one of them carrying Crescent Rose. It was in that moment that the pieces finally fell together and she knew it was over.

She had failed.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, a soldier hauled a still-handcuffed Ruby out of the back of an Atlesian squad car and dragged her towards a massive, official-looking building. Her hearing had finally returned, but her head was pounding; all she wanted to do was curl up in a dark corner and wait for the ringing in her ears to die down. The soldier held her by her hood while he spoke to someone inside over an intercom. After a minute or so, the door opened and Ruby was unceremoniously shoved into the arms of a waiting guard. The guard and the soldier who had held Ruby exchanged a few words before the door was closed and Ruby was guided down an unnaturally white, sterile hallway. Finally, after countless twists and turns, they arrived at what Ruby recognized as a cell block.

"Why'd you drag me all the way out here if you were just going to throw me in jail anyway?" Ruby grumbled. The guard didn't reply and instead opened the door of one of the cells, removed Ruby's handcuffs, and gently guided her inside by the shoulder. Ruby turned to watch the red haired woman close the door and walk away.

 _Well_ , She thought as she turned and looked around her cell. _At least there are plenty of dark corners to choose from._

* * *

Yang felt General Ironwood's stare burning holes in her as she sat down on the bunk next to Blake. The Faunus had drawn her knees to her chest and, like Yang, had her head down to avoid making eye contact with Ironwood. Neither girl knew what to expect; the general had walked into their cell completely unannounced and had yet to say a word. After an unbearably long silence, he finally sighed and began to speak.

"Frankly, Belladonna, I never thought you would be type to lash out and attack law enforcement, but somehow, Xiao Long, I am not surprised to see you here. Two of my officers are currently in the hospital receiving treatment for the injuries you dealt them. Would you care to explain yourself?"

"They snuck up on me!" Yang protested, her infamous temper rearing its head at the general's accusatory tone. "They tried to use a Grimm tranquilizer on me! I was labeled a dangerous target, sir!"

"And you proved that you were," Ironwood stated bluntly.

"I - " Yang lowered her head once more as her face flushed red with shame. She gripped the edge of the bunk until her knuckles turned white. Her eyes stung, but she fought back tears. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't heal broken ribs," The general replied. "At least Belladonna went out of her way to avoid causing injury to the human officers she fought. Under any other circumstances, Xiao Long, you would be imprisoned for a very long time for what you did, and I'm tempted to have you locked away as it is. You've proven violent, unpredictable, and disrespectful. Most men I've seen who lost a limb in combat mellowed out; from what I can tell you've only gotten worse."

"How dare you?" Blake's voice was deceptively soft as she spoke, having decided that she had heard enough. "Sir, you have no _idea_ what you're talking about. Yang is one of the best people I've ever met. She lost her arm protecting me from Adam Taurus, and beyond that she had every right to be angry at your men."

"Adam Taurus?" The general's eyes flashed with recognition, and he motioned for Blake to continue.

"Blake," Yang whispered, realizing what her friend was about to do. "Don't."

Blake ignored her. "The night Vale fell, I became separated from my team. I found Adam about to murder an innocent student, and I intervened. During the fight he discovered I was a Faunus and tried to convince me to join the White Fang. When I refused he..." Blake felt a lump forming in her throat as she remembered everything, and she swallowed thickly before continuing, "He managed to disarm me and drain my aura. When Yang arrived, he stabbed me as a taunt and she leapt to my defense. She... She didn't know about his Semblance, and she lost her arm before she could deal a single blow."

Blake suddenly fixed her yellow eyes on the generals', and a mixture of anger and determination crossed her face. "So frankly, _sir_ , I don't give a _damn_ how many soldiers you've seen or how many cases 'like Yang' you've seen; _you don't know her_. But I do, and I can tell you for sure that she's a better person than half of your men could ever dream of being." She leaned back and closed her eyes, and the general turned his attention back to Yang.

"Is that true?" He asked.

Yang glanced at her arm. "Yes, sir."

The general sighed and folded his arms behind his back before speaking again. "I'm sorry. I didn't know, but that doesn't change what you did. Still… I made a promise to Professor Goodwitch to keep you out of trouble. The two of you should be reunited with your teammates by tomorrow morning."

"Wait, Goodwitch put you up to this?" Yang asked in shock. "And where's everyone else?"

"Yes, and they're safe," Ironwood replied, answering both questions at once. He strode from the cell before Yang could say another word.

* * *

Jaune felt a familiar paw on his back as he woke up. The events of the previous night were a blur, and he felt panic rising in his chest once more as he realized he had no idea where he was.

 _It's alright, Jaune._ Pyrrha whispered. _You're safe._

"Where...?" Jaune mumbled, trying to lift his head and look around. Pyrrha gently pushed him back down.

 _Don't_ , she warned. _You're better off not knowing, trust me._

"Pyrrha, what's going on?" Jaune asked, now struggling against her paw. "Where are we?"

 _We are… Well, we are in a safe place, Jaune,_ Pyrrha replied, effectively dodging the question. _That's all that matters for now._ Jaune turned over slowly to stare at her.

"Pyrrha." The Nymean blinked quickly at his frustrated tone; she had never heard him say her name that way before. "I'll ask one more time. Where are we?" His eyes remained trained on hers, unblinking, until finally she gave in. Growl-mumbling quietly, Pyrrha lifted her paw from his head, and Jaune sat up; however, he quickly wished he hadn't. The color drained from his face as he stared at the thickly interwoven metal of the cage around them.

 _I… I_ did _try to warn you. It's all right; the scientists seem only to be curious, so I don't think experimentation is in my future for now,_ Pyrrha explained before pawing softly at her partner. _You should lay back down for a bit._

Jaune's eyes widened in fear as the same panic that had swallowed him in the cell yesterday arose again. He stared at the encroaching bars for a few more seconds until Pyrrha's brow knit in confusion and worry. _Jaune? Is everything all right?_ She got no response except for the blonde curling up into a tight ball on the cage floor and pressing his face into her fur, and she quickly wrapped her paws back around him, hoping that whatever he had seen might pass quickly.


	19. Chapter 19

Jaune awoke to unfamiliar whispers of his name and a hand on his shoulder that shook him vigorously. "Mister Arc? It's time to wake up," the man shaking him said, and after a moment of sluggish thinking, Jaune was able to recognize his voice as one of the scientists that were in the lab the last time he had woken up. For a moment, a half-asleep Jaune just stayed where he was, lying curled under Pyrrha's protective paws as he muttered about going back to bed. However, after the scientist shook him again, Jaune realized that his partner hadn't moved at all, and her paws actually felt like dead weight across his back. He reached out with his mind, but there were no signs of life. _No. She couldn't be…_

Eyes wide, fists clenched, and face growing paler by the second, Jaune leapt from the cage to face the gaggle of scientists while fear and anger overtook him. As he spoke, voice quivering, they all backed away. "What have you done to her?!"

The man that had shaken him earlier spoke up in an attempt to comfort him, voice smooth. "Mister Arc, I'm sure this is all jus-"

" _What have you done to Pyrrha?!_ " Jaune shouted again, watching as some of the group flinched at his volume, but he didn't care about making them fear him. He was in no mood to take whatever excuses these people had to throw at him; if they had killed his partner, they would pay.

After a moment of silence, a standoff between them, the first man sighed and gave in. "Mister Arc, the Nymean is fine. We merely sedated it so that we could take you to visit your friends. The General wasn't sure that it would have let you go without a fight, so he had us do this," he finished, gesturing towards the Nymean lying nearly comatose on the floor behind the blonde.

Jaune turned toward Pyrrha's body, searching intently for any signs of life. Each second felt agonizing as his fear only grew until, after about a half minute, her crimson-furred sides moved up and down as she inhaled. Jaune looked up toward the ceiling as he blinked rapidly to clear his watering eyes, saying a silent prayer and crossing his chest before turning back to the group with a forced smile on his face. "Okay, I believe you." He took a moment to recompose himself and almost laughed as the scientists before him all exhaled in relief. With a little more confidence in his tone, he continued, "You said I would be able to visit my teammates? Does this mean the ones in jail have been pardoned?"

The first scientist smiled reassuringly in response. "Well, they served their sentences, at least. Assaulting an officer given the circumstances was completely understandable and thus, they don't have to serve quite as long as most assault cases. And, of course, there's the fact that the General was asked to protect all of you instead of causing you to lash out, but that's neither here nor there." He turned and began walking out of the cage before turning his head back toward Jaune, adding, "Come on, the guards will take you to the meeting area."

Jaune took one final glance at Pyrrha's sleeping form before following the man out into the lab.

* * *

By the time Jaune arrived at the small conference room, all of the others had already gathered. He took a deep breath before walking inside with a smile and greeting, "Hey, guys." Nora was the first to react, jumping up and hugging him tightly before he could even take a step inside.

"Jaune!" She shouted happily as she released him from the rib-cracking hug. "I'm glad you're okay!" He gave her a broad grin and opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by Ren.

"How is Pyrrha? Is she all right?" He had stood up and walked over to his leader shortly after Nora's hug started, and Jaune was taken aback at his body language. Ren was almost slouching as he walked, his arms were crossed tightly over his chest, and his eyebrows were knitted in worry. In that moment, he didn't seem like the same serene Ren they all knew. Jaune placed a hand on his shoulder in assurance.

"She's fine, Ren. They just sedated her this morning so she'd let me go, but she's okay. She's just asleep." Almost immediately, Ren lightened up, his posture straightening as he released his vice-like grip on Jaune's shoulders. He smiled softly before closing his eyes and taking a few deep breaths.

"Why do you keep talking about Pyrrha like she's here? She's dead, Jaune!" A familiar voice asked in a tone tinged with anger, and all heads in the room turned to face Weiss where she stood as she addressed Jaune directly. The blonde in question rubbed the back of his head with his hand. It seemed he would have to explain the situation yet again. This was getting old.

"Okay, so to make a long story short, Pyrrha died, but then she came back as a Grimm – a baby Nymean, actually – for some unknown reason. Or maybe she does know but she won't tell me." Jaune shook his head to clear it before continuing, "Anyway, she found me, and I'm the only one who can understand her, but she can understand all of us. She speaks to me in my head sometimes and she's been travelling with us and protecting us since she found me. Does that make any sense?" He finished, looking at Weiss apologetically. The heiress, for her part, was absolutely confused, and it showed on her face.

"Uh… No. Not really," she replied, staring with narrowed eyes at Jaune before turning to look at each of the others one by one. "Actually, you sound completely insane, but I'm assuming you all have just been going with this, so I suppose I should too." Weiss sat back down and placed her hands on the table in front of her, and Ren and Nora gently led Jaune over to the empty seat next to them. "Now, to get back to the topic at hand. Technically, we're all stuck in Atlas, given that you all are in protective custody and my father is being a di-" Ren cut her off before she could finish.

"Difficult person. He's being a difficult person," he finished for her, subtly nodding at the security camera in the corner of the room. Weiss glared silently at both him and the camera before continuing.

"Right. That. Now, what is it you all are trying to do that requires you to get out of Atlas? Because you must understand how difficult that's going to be," she asked, tilting her head toward the guards standing in the doorway. As she spoke, an officer stepped into the room and exchanged a few words with Yang, who followed him into the hall. Jaune looked down, grimaced, and clenched his fists.

"Cinder Fall," he said quietly, in the angriest tone that anyone in the room had ever heard him use.

What?" Weiss questioned incredulously.

"We have to find Cinder Fall," he repeated, scowling as he said the name. "She's the one who killed Pyrrha. She's the reason why Pyrrha's now every Huntsman's target instead of being safe and human. She needs to pay." The room was silent for a moment before Weiss spoke up.

"I know you need revenge, but… Ironwood won't just let you go," she said gently, soft blue eyes focused on Jaune. "He's been asked to keep you all here; there will be no easy escape, Jaune. And if you're really the only link to Pyrrha..." She let her voice trail off, seeing on the others's faces that they understood the implication just fine. Ruby leaned forward onto the table and crossed her arms.

"Yeah, and even if we did get out, how would we even get there, Jaune? We're not exactly the most unnoticeable group of kids anymore, especially with Pyrrha here," She kept her voice low as she continued, "We got lucky last time that our pilot was willing to take Pyrrha with us. Any pilot here would be more likely to just turn us back over to Ironwood, and who knows how much harder it would be to get out after that?" Jaune closed his eyes and grimaced again.

"We could start with getting out of the city," Blake said. "There's plenty of wilderness in Atlas to hide in. It wouldn't be easy, but if we could get out there, well..." she traced a finger along a black band on her arm. "I'd rather be freezing my ears off out there than stuck in a room and under constant observation here."

"We'll figure something out. We have to," he said, eyes glinting with determination. Jaune smiled a little before sticking his hand out to the center of the table. "For Pyrrha and for Vale," he started, looking at the others around him.

Each echoed him as they placed their hands together on the table.


	20. Chapter 20

Yang stumbled into the pitch-black bedroom, not even waiting for the soldier to close the door before she flopped onto her bed in utter exhaustion. Her hair was a rat's nest, she was covered in sweat, and she hadn't had a chance to change in two days. The blonde knew she needed a shower, but she didn't want to move, instead choosing to just lay still until she fell asleep. As she began to drift off, she flexed the fingers on her right hand and smiled.

* * *

"Yaaaang," Ruby groaned as her sister's snoring dragged her from sleep. "Whyyy are you - " Ruby's silver eyes flew open, and she bolted upright. "Yang?!"

Sure enough, the bedraggled blonde was fast asleep on the bed on the far side of the room, producing a sound not unlike a jackhammer. Her tangled hair framed her face like a lion's mane, something that under different circumstances would have reminded Ruby of Pyrrha, but the girl was distracted by the fact that her sister no longer appeared to be missing an arm.

Ruby squealed and dashed to Yang's bedside so fast that she left her trademark rose petals in her wake. Her eyes hadn't deceived her: a stark white prosthetic limb had been attached to what was left of Yang's right arm. Black water-proof mesh covered the unarmored joints, protecting the wiring but leaving a glaring flaw in the design, but for now, Ruby didn't care. She was still squealing and jumping up and down in excitement. Yang groggily opened her lavender eyes to stare up at her sister in confusion.

"Muhh...Wha-?" The blonde groaned as she rubbed the palm of her prosthetic hand over her eyes and blinked. She smiled, finally recognizing the figure standing over her, and wearily said, "Hey sis. What's got you so excited?"

"You're back! You're okay! Your arm!" Ruby blurted all at once, tackling her sister in a bear hug.

"Yes, I am, define 'okay', and which arm are you referring to?" Yang yawned before she returned Ruby's hug and mussed the girl's hair with her mechanical limb.

"Your right arm!" Ruby exclaimed, but tilted her head in confusion. "Wait, what do you mean 'define okay'? What's wrong?"

Yang snorted and replied, "Ruby, I just spent two days in a sterile lab getting poked and prodded by total strangers while metal and circuitry were attached to my nerves and muscles, all without painkillers to make sure everything worked right. Also, I look and smell like death. But hey, I got an arm out of it!" She gently pushed Ruby off, stood, and stretched. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to take a much needed shower. You should probably go back to sleep."

"Go back to sleep?" Ruby asked incredulously. "Why would I - ?"

Yang glanced at the clock on the wall and rolled her eyes. "It's 5:30 a.m., sis. Seriously. Go to sleep."

* * *

The sun had just started to rise when Qrow swooped down without a sound onto the roof of the Atlesian military headquarters. He wasted no time destroying a pair of security cameras and cutting the lock off a maintenance door, but before he could open it, a White Fang mask caked with blood and a dented sword landed at his feet. He growled in annoyance, not needing to turn around to know who had delivered the objects.

"My dear brother, you weren't honestly planning on going in there without a proper disguise?"

* * *

The minute she'd seen the accommodations Atlas was providing, Blake had assumed Ruby and Nora would be the first ones to lose their minds. She'd been wrong. Not only did Nora and Ruby seem perfectly fine the last time they'd spoken, but it was Blake who was now pacing around her room like a caged panther. She tugged at the hem of her shirt and bit her lip as she glanced around the room, half expecting to see someone behind her.

The room itself was fine, and infinitely better than the cell she'd been confined to before. It resembled a dorm room from Beacon, but far smaller, and everything down to the sheets on the bed were the same unnerving white that the Atlesians were so fond of. In terms of safety and comfort, it was the best off she'd been since before the group had left Vale; she had three square meals a day, a roof over her head, and a warm bed to sleep in. It was a pity everything came with the condition of being locked in a windowless room alone for hours on end, unable to go anywhere without an armed escort who couldn't have been more open with their hatred of her if they tried. Truly, it was.

Blake jumped halfway to the ceiling when she heard a knock on the door.

"Blake?" Jaune asked as the door opened. The guard behind him closed it behind him when the blonde stepped inside. He'd changed from the outfit he'd been wearing for weeks into a dull gray and white Atlas academy uniform. Blake had been provided with a clean uniform of her own, but she'd refused to wear it out of spite. It was no secret that she still wasn't over being drugged and held against her will in a country known for its hatred of her race.

"Hello," Blake said. "What's going on? Shouldn't you be with Pyrrha?"

Jaune's eyes flashed aggravation at the mention of the Nymean's name, but he calmed down before speaking. "They wanted to observe her on her own," he said, frustration apparent in his voice. He didn't need to elaborate on who "they" were.

"Are you still linked?" Blake asked. "Do they even know you two are connected?"

"Yes and kind of," Jaune shrugged and sat down on the bed next to Blake.

"Kind of?" The cat Faunus pressed, hoping that Jaune hadn't told the scientists too much about it. Jaune and Pyrrha's mental connection was one of the few - if not the _only_ \- potential advantage the group had against Atlas.

"Look, let's just say that what they don't know won't hurt them," Jaune said, shrugging nonchalantly as he did. "I need to make sure they're not hurting her or anything."

"I'd say you were worrying too much, but that would imply some level of trust between me and the good people of Atlas." Blake chuckled. "Former teammate excluded, of course."

"Amen." Jaune snickered. He opened his mouth to say something else, only to freeze. His eyes grew wide with fear, and he bolted to his feet. "The power in the labs just went out."

"What?" Blake paled. Atlesian Dust generators never just failed; even their backup systems had backup systems. Before Jaune could answer, the power cut out, submerging the young Hunters in complete darkness.

* * *

Pyrrha leapt to her paws and snarled, her eyes giving off an odd faint green light as they glanced around the room. A myriad of negative emotions ranging from fear to frustration radiated off the scientists, each one aggravating her in turn. It was swiftly growing unbearable, but she had to keep her beastly impulses under control. She couldn't care less bout what losing control would mean for her; it was Jaune she feared for. If her wild behavior affected him, the consequences would no doubt be dire.

 _Are you okay?_ Jaune asked. _The power just cut off here too._

 _I'm fine!_ Pyrrha snapped with far more aggression than she'd intended. _It's these stupid Grimm senses. Everyone down here is panicking and now -_

 _You can sense it?_ Jaune guessed.

 _Sense it? Jaune, I can almost_ taste _it._ Pyrrha groaned. She swiped at the bars of her cage to no avail. The mesh was some sort of plain metal alloy - no electrical components to it. Before her death, it wouldn't have held her for a second, but now that Salem had put her aura through what the former Huntress could only describe as a factory reset, the cage was more than sufficient to hold her there.

 _...Who's Salem?_ Jaune asked. Pyrrha panicked and scrambled to find a response that could keep her from having to explain. She stuttered for a few seconds and failed to come up with anything, but at that moment, fate intervened in the form of a deafening crash. The door to the labs were broken down, and Pyrrha almost lost control when she sensed the rage rolling off the individual who charged inside.

Most of the guards didn't even have a chance to open fire before the intruder reached them and knocked them unconscious. Pyrrha could just make out the intruder's aura and realized they were a Hunter. Soon there was no one left standing between them and the cage, and the Nymean braced herself for a fight.

 _Pyrrha, what's going on?!_ Jaune shouted in a panic.

 _Someone's attacking the lab!_ Pyrrha replied as the figure - a man - stepped into view. His face was obscured by shadows, but Pyrrha could see the outline of the white Grimm mask he wore. She snarled, moving towards the back of the cage. _They're -_

He sheathed his battered sword and held up his hands. "Easy Nikos. I'm on your side." The Nymean's ear twitched - she knew that voice.

 _Pyrrha?_ Jaune asked, more than a little worried at her sudden silence.

_It's Qrow!_

* * *

Ren pulled Nora into an unlocked room and silently closed the door. The two sat in complete silence while a group of soldiers charged by, the lights on their helmets illuminating the hall and the room briefly as they passed.

The pair had been out in the halls when the power failed. With the cover of darkness combined with whatever was currently going on in the labs, it had been almost too easy for them to give their guards the slip. Their main goal was to find their gear and break out the others, but the same thing that had helped them escape in the first place was hindering them even more than the confusing layout of the building.

"Are you sure we're not just going in circles?" Nora whispered after several minutes of tense silence.

"Positive," Ren said. "We haven't been in here yet." He stepped away from the door and focused his aura into creating light. It was an advanced technique and would leave him drained if he used it for too long, but the soft pink glow illuminated the room enough for Nora to have a look around.

"Gear's not here." She sighed. "Looks like some kinda office."

Ren allowed the light to die and reached for the door handle, only to recoil like he'd been struck.

"What's wrong?" Nora yelped much louder than she'd wanted. She covered her mouth as Ren replied.

"Two auras approaching fast from the direction the soldiers ran towards. I think... I think one of them is Pyrrha!" Ren hissed. "But I've never sensed the other one before."

"Are they fighting?" Nora asked, her voice quiet once more.

Ren shrugged. "Guards, maybe, but not each other."

"That's good, right?" Nora sounded hopeful.

"Not if they get overwhelmed. Did you see anything in here that could be a weapon?"

"Ren, it's an office." Nora scoffed.

"Then get creative. We don't have much time," Ren sparked the light once more. "Use a chair if you have to!" Nora nodded and started rooting through the desk while Ren kept his focus on the two auras. The smaller black one was definitely Pyrrha, and she was making a beeline for the room. The larger grayish aura lagged behind, locked in combat with the guards. Were they buying her time?

"The chair is nailed to the floor." Nora complained.

"Never mind." Ren said, opening the door just as Pyrrha scrambled near. The Nymean's lantern-like green eyes widened, and she placed her front paws around his neck with a purr.

"Missed you too," Ren said with a grin. He gave her a quick scratch behind the ear before Nora tackled her in a hug. The two rolled out into the hall, Nora laughing and Pyrrha purring, and Ren gave them a few moments to calm down before clearing his throat. "We should catch up _after_ our friends our freed and we've all made it to safety." Pyrrha nodded and got to her feet while pulling Nora up by her collar.

"Hey, Nikos!" A gravelly voice down the hall called. Ren adopted a fighting stance, but Pyrrha shook her head and strode towards the voice. Her eyes lit up a tall, lanky figure holding a dented sword. His head and face were hidden by a hood and a white Grimm mask.

"A member of the White Fang?!" Ren hissed. "Pyrrha, have you gone insane?"

The man removed his mask, giving Ren a clear view of his dark red eyes, and said, "It's just a disguise, kid." He replaced the mask, tossed Ren a rifle that he'd no doubt lifted from one of the fallen guards, and gestured down the hallway. "My name is Qrow. Shut up and follow me if you wanna get out of here."

* * *

By the time the group reached Blake's room, Qrow could feel his Aura beginning to waver. The Nymean fighting beside him charged forward and tackled the guard to the ground before he could aim his gun and clung to his arm like an attack dog. The man screamed in pain and slammed the butt of his gun against her head, but he may as well have been hitting steel. Qrow knocked the man out with a swift kick, and the Grimm let go. Ren quickly found his key ring and, after several failed attempts, got the door open. Pyrrha wasted no time charging inside, and Qrow chuckled when he heard a yelp and a crash.

Just as Qrow turned to go find his nieces, he noticed a black and white blur from the corner of his eye. He dodged Blake's first strike and grabbed her wrist. He twisted her arm behind her back, and the girl yelped in pain and fear.

"Calm down, Blake!" Nora shouted. "He's not actually a member of the White Fang!"

"How can you be sure?" Blake hissed, writhing in Qrow's grip.

"He's Ruby and Yang's uncle," Jaune explained. "Pyrrha met him at Beacon."

Blake stopped struggling, but her breathing was still quick and erratic. Qrow let her go and she stumbled forward before regaining her footing, rubbing her eyes, and shaking her head.

"I... I'm sorry," she mumbled.

"Don't worry about it," Qrow said.

"Jaune, why do you look like you lost a fight with an angry badger?" Nora asked.

"He touched my - " Blake tried to say, only to be cut off by Jaune.

" _That was my side, not my hand!_ " The blonde was blushing furiously as he defended himself.

"I know what a hand feels like there, Jaune!" Blake snapped. Jaune opened his mouth to reply, but Qrow was faster.

"Can you two discuss this later?" The old hunter snapped as he turned to walk away. "We need to find-" An explosion down the hall drowned out his voice and lit up the hallway. Yang dashed towards the group, and Ruby quickly passed her.

"Found them," Blake deadpanned.


	21. Chapter 21

"Hey guys!" The always cheerful Ruby shouted as she sprinted ahead of her explosive sibling. Yang rounded the corner a few seconds later, her Semblance leaving a path of fire and steam in her wake. Ruby glanced back and noticed how bright the flames were; the entire hallway was now lit from end to end. If any guards came around, they'd surely be spotted. She turned back to the group. "We should probably get out of here."

"Good idea, kid," Qrow said before turning and running back the way they had come. "Follow me. We need to get to your weapons before we do much else."

Qrow led them through the maze of hallways, eventually stopping in front of a large metal door whose only decoration was a black plaque reading "STORAGE" in simple white letters. Qrow put an ear up to the door for a few moments before turning back to the rest. "I don't think I can break this down. Yang?"

The blonde held up her hands. "Don't look at me! The door to our room was wooden, not six inches of solid steel! Maybe if I had Ember Celica I could break it down, old man, but I'm not doing anything to it like this."

Pyrrha looked around at the others before padding forward, and Jaune followed closely behind her. "Pyrrha may be able to open the door with her Semblance. Or, ya know, unlock it, at least," he said, speaking for the Nymean. Pyrrha met Qrow's eyes and nodded, and the old huntsman stepped back.

"Worth a shot, kid." The red-furred Grimm stepped forward and faced the door. Deciding it would be easiest to try and mess with the lock first, she focused her aura upon it. The metal glowed black for a few seconds before Pyrrha's aura gave out. She shook her head and tried again with the same result.

Qrow looked around the corner. "I don't mean to pressure you, Nikos, but the guards aren't all gone. At best, they're regrouping, and at worst, they're grabbing heavier artillery. If you don't want to end up back in that 10 by 10 cube, you'd better hurry up."

The threat of being thrown back in the cage was apparently the spur the Nymean needed. The glow returned with a vengeance as the lock was ripped free, nearly decapitating Ren as it flew into a nearby wall hard enough to leave a sizable dent. Pyrrha turned back to Jaune and tilted her head to the side.

 _Not what I intended, but...Success!_ she said, her eyes sparkling in excitement.

"Uh, yeah," Jaune replied nervously, eyes wide with shock.

Qrow pushed the door open and ran inside to check for any guards. Finding that the coast was clear, he popped his head back out and waved for the teenagers to enter. Within minutes, they'd tracked down their gear and weapons.

Ruby clipped Crescent Rose onto its magnetic sheath and turned to her uncle. "How do we get out?" The dark-haired man gave her a grim smile.

"This way. I've got someone who can help us," he replied as he ran off down the hall. The kids exchanged confused glances before racing after him, with Ruby leading in the front and Pyrrha at the very back.

They ran through hallway after hallway, the sound of their hurried footsteps echoing off of the dark prison walls as they went. No guards ever came after them; it was almost as though they had disappeared. The halls were eerily quiet and seemed to get progressively darker as they went, if that was even possible, and it put them on edge. As they rounded one corner, Qrow suddenly came to a halt.

The rest of the group all skidded into the wall, landing in one big pile, with the exception of Pyrrha, who managed to hook herself around the corner, avoiding the dogpile but crashing into Qrow. The old huntsman turned to give her a questioning look and she gave him the best sheepish smile she could.

As the others finally managed to untangle themselves, a blood red portal opened in front of them. Pyrrha's eyes narrowed and she backed away, hackles raised and fangs bared. She growled murderously, shaking like a leaf.

 _Not again not again not again not again,_ / Jaune could hear her repeating. She wasn't speaking to him. In fact, he couldn't tell if the Nymean even knew she was broadcasting her thoughts.

A tall, black-haired woman in a short, red, kimono-style dress stepped from the portal. Yang recoiled in surprise at the sight of her, shaking just as badly as Pyrrha, and Ren and Nora looked ready to attack.

"You?" The blonde demanded. The woman ignored her, turning instead to Qrow.

"Ready to leave, dear brother?" She asked.

"B-Brother?" Yang sputtered. "But that would make you...Oh, _Dust_." The blonde looked ready to curl up into the fetal position, but the sound of footsteps down the hall forced her out of her daze.

"No time for pleasantries. We need out now, Raven!" Qrow snapped. Raven nodded tersely and slashed through the empty air with her sword. An identical portal to the one she'd appeared through materialized, and she stepped to the side.

"Where does that lead?" Jaune asked.

"Why don't you step through and find out?" The woman smirked.

 _Don't. Please don't._ Pyrrha begged. _You don't know what that could lead to. You don't know_ who _it could lead to._

"We don't have a choice," Jaune said. Before Pyrrha could stop him, he dashed through the portal. The Nymean roared angrily and charged after him. The others hesitantly followed, with Yang being the last to try and move through. Raven moved in front of the portal, blocking her path.

"What are you doing?!" Yang shouted. From the sound of things, the person charging down the hallway was almost on top of her. "Let me through!"

"Do you really want to waste your life in this fight?" The woman asked, looking her daughter straight in the eye.

"Don't act like you care," Yang spat.

"Xiao Long!" Ironwood roared. "Don't. Move." Yang didn't need to turn to know his pistol was pointed at her back.

"We'll talk later then," Raven sighed, pushing Yang through the portal.

* * *

"Raven, where the hell are we?" Qrow shouted as the woman stepped from the portal. Yang was still picking herself off the ground, having fallen flat on her face when she'd come through the portal. The blonde looked at Raven as if trying to decide whether to throttle the woman or run as far away from her as she could.

"Relax, brother dearest," she said and, turning her back to the rest of their group, continued, "This is an old SDC warehouse. I took the liberty of destroying the security cameras before I went to help you. If you intend to stay hidden until nightfall, this is the safest place there is. From there, you're on your own." She looked down at Yang with a look uncharacteristically close to compassion in her eyes. "As for you, my child, I'll have my eye on you." Before Qrow or Yang could move to stop her, she opened another portal and dashed through it.

For a moment, no one reacted. Then, Yang sunk to the ground and pulled her knees to her chest, resting her head on them. Ruby knelt next to her and tried placing a hand on her back, but Yang pushed her away and shook her head. It was only then the others finally registered her new arm, and Nora mumbled an awkward 'congratulations' for getting it. The blonde nodded and tightened her grip on her legs.

"Sorry about the bad reunion, firecracker," Qrow said. He removed his mask and pulled the dented sword from his belt, tossing the latter to Ruby. "I'd better dump this mask someplace - no telling who Raven killed to get it. I'll try and get you kids some food and water while I'm out, maybe scope out another hiding place in case you need it. Keep quiet."

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Ruby asked. The old Huntsman shrugged.

"If you don't need it for a spare weapon, it's perfectly good scrap metal," he said, leaving the teenagers to their own devices.

Ruby stared at the "sword" in bewilderment. The blade was bent so far out of shape that is couldn't even be called a sword anymore; it didn't even qualify as anything more than a club with a dull cutting edge. Scrap metal it was then.

"Yang, are you gonna be okay?" Blake asked. The blonde shrugged, and the Faunus sat down next to her. Like Ruby, the cat was pushed away when she tried to comfort her blonde, but she didn't give up. "When you want to talk about it, I'll be right here. I promise."

"We all will," Ruby said.

Yang scoffed. "You say that like you have a choice."

* * *

Weiss stared intently at the route she had planned out, committing it to memory in case her Scroll was damaged or otherwise rendered useless. if she played her cards right, she could use the path to get herself and the others into Mistral without being shot out of the sky or taken as prisoners of war - or both. The problem was the closest she could safely get an aircraft to the city was just over a hundred miles away, in the middle of a frozen tundra, in the dead of winter. There were several reasons the Mistrali military rarely patrolled that tundra; it was massive, practically devoid of settlements, crawling with Grimm, and, if the rumors were to be believed, a hotbed of White Fang activity. Needless to say, Weiss wouldn't have willingly gone there if she had any better options.

The door to her room flew open, and Weiss yelped and tried to shut off her scroll. In her panic, however, she only succeeded in sending the device skidding across the floor - with the map still visible - straight into Winter's foot. The elder sibling scooped up the Scroll to return it but froze when she saw the screen.

"Winter! This is definitely not what it looks like, trust me," Weiss blurted with less conviction than she would've liked. Winter raised an eyebrow, and Weiss's shoulders slumped. "Okay, it's definitely what it looks like. Just please - "

"Weiss - " Winter tried to interrupt.

"Don't tell father - "

"Weiss I - "

"It's all purely hypothetical and I would never - "

Winter smacked her sister upside the head, " _Weiss Schnee, would you kindly shut your mouth so I can talk to you?!_ " Weiss nodded with a whimper, rubbing the spot where Winter had dealt the blow. Winter sighed in exasperation. "Thank you. No, I will not be informing Father of this, because someone beat you to the punch."

"W-what?" Weiss asked, still reeling from the strike. "Someone broke them out? But who?"

"That's what we'd all love to know," Winter said. "Most of the soldiers on duty never caught a glimpse of their attackers' faces and the few that did can't agree on who was responsible. Well, that's not entirely accurate; many of them say the assailants were White Fang agents."

"And the rest?" Weiss tried to conceal her fear for Blake. Fortunately, years of concealing her emotions had made her very skilled at it.

"One man claimed Qrow Branwen was responsible." Winter spat the name like an insult. "And the general himself saw a woman who...Well, you needn't concern yourself with that sort of business. So, yes, Weiss, someone got to your friends before you could. I came to ask for your help tracking them down."

"Didn't you just see me planning an escape for them? What makes you think I'm going to help you throw them back in jail cells?" Weiss demanded, already making plans to search on her own when her sister was gone. If the attackers really were Fang agents, she had to get to her friends fast. There was no telling what those monsters would do to them, and Blake especially had a target painted on her back already.

"Did you hear a word I just said?" Winter demanded. "Your friends could be in grave danger. They trust you, Weiss. If they haven't been captured by the Fang yet, you might be the only one who can convince them to come back."

"Why are you so convinced it was the White Fang, anyway?" Weiss shot back. "Maybe it was Qrow!"

"Do you know how Yang Xiao Long lost her arm?" Winter inquired icily.

"I..." Weiss struggled to remember the answer. She could've sworn Blake had told her before she'd run off, but the entire night was honestly a blur. "I... Can't remember."

"The short version is that she attempted to fight Adam Taurus in defense of her partner. It ended poorly," Winter said. "We have every reason to believe Taurus would wish to finish what he started. Do you understand now?"

It took a moment for the gravity of what Winter had said to sink in. When it finally had, Weiss nodded stiffly. She grabbed Myrtenaster, which she had left leaning on her bed in a rare moment of laziness, and strapped it to her belt.

"So have you come to your senses?" Winter asked.

"I'm searching for them on my own," Weiss snapped.

Winter rolled her eyes, "Well, I suppose I'll have to just report that we lost them, then." She pulled a key from her belt and handed it to her sister along with her scroll. "Third airship in the right hangar on campus. It's not as spacious as my personal ship, but if you truly wish to ferry your friends out of the kingdom it will suffice. Just know that if you get caught, you stole this key from me." Weiss stared at the key in her open palm and mumbled a half-intelligible "thank you", and Winter left.

She failed to notice the crow tapping at her sister's window.


	22. Chapter 22

Weiss stepped out of the car onto the abandoned street, pulling her dull gray Atlas-issue backpack over her shoulders. Fresh snow swirled through the air around her and the cold bit at her exposed face. It was absolutely freezing outside, even for Atlas, which was yet another reason she needed to find the others. Weiss tugged her scarf over her nose and pulled a small slip of paper from her pocket, reading the message scrawled on it for what must've been the hundredth time.

_Your friends are safe. Come to the eastern warehouse district._

It had been given to her by a crow tapping on her window. Weiss hadn't originally planned on letting the ratty bird inside, but it had persistently pecked at the glass for over ten minutes. When she'd opened the window to shoo it away, it dropped the note on her windowsill. The whole thing was almost too bizarre for Weiss to consider a trap, as the White Fang was usually far more direct with its methods; then again, if it was a trap, Weiss couldn't complain that she hadn't received one of her teammates' severed fingers and a far more threatening letter.

"Ma'am, are you sure you want me to drop you off here?" The driver asked, glancing around the empty street.

"I'm certain, thank you," Weiss replied and added a small nod. "I'll call you once I've finished." She closed the door and watched the car drive off, her fake smile slowly fading. Weiss wasn't planning on going home if she found the others. She took her Scroll from her pocket, her finger hovering over the call button. Even without the CCT, Scrolls could still be used for short range communication, but such calls were glitchy and unreliable, and in Atlas were sometimes even monitored. If her friends were in hiding, Weiss didn't want to risk leading the Specialists straight to them, but if there was a chance to make sure they were okay...

Before she could make up her mind, a black streak swiped the Scroll from her hands. She yelped in surprise and looked up to see the same stupid crow from earlier hovering over her, her Scroll gripped in its claws. It squawked and cocked its head, focusing its beady red eyes on her as if it was well aware of what it had done, and then took off flying down the street.

* * *

 

Jaune sighed and squirmed in Pyrrha's grip, prompting the Nymean to growl and grab his hood in her teeth like a mother cat grabbing its kitten's scruff. Reluctantly, he settled down and stared at the blank gray wall.

The instant Pyrrha had come through the portal she'd tackled Jaune to the ground, and the blonde had spent the past three hours pinned to her chest. Fury rolled off the Nymean in waves, but she refused to explain anything to Jaune. He felt like the world's largest and most terrified teddy bear.

"Pyrrha?" Jaune whimpered. There was no response. "Pyrrha, please let me go."

_No._

Jaune stiffened at the cold tone of her voice. She had never spoken that way to anyone, not even Team CRDL – at least, not when Jaune was around.

"Pyrrha, what...Why were you so terrified of that portal?" Jaune asked. The Nymean huffed, and he pressed on. "You said I couldn't be sure where and who it would lead to. So just who were you expecting to be on the other side?"

_Salem._

"You were thinking about her when the power cut out. Who is she?" Jaune asked.

_She's...She's the one who turned me into_  this _._ Her grip slackened, and her fury changed to fear, sorrow, and, to Jaune's shock, humiliation. Even when she'd been locked in the cage in the lab, Jaune had never felt any true humiliation coming from the Grimm.

"But how did she –?" Jaune paused as he felt Pyrrha sending a memory his way. The sensation wasn't entirely different from when he and Pyrrha had first connected their minds, but rather than a flood of jumbled memories, there was just a single one. The meaning was clear: Pyrrha didn't want to tell him, but she could show him.

At that moment, a crow came bursting through one of the open windows, cawing noisily before dropping a Scroll at Ruby's feet. The redhead, who had been curled up next to Blake and her sister for warmth, jolted awake with a shout which prompted a similar reaction from Blake. Even Ren leapt to his feet in alarm, and Nora reached for her weapon before realizing what had happened. Pyrrha rose more slowly, snarling at the bird while keeping Jaune pinned under one massive paw, her saber-like claws threatening to cut into his back if he moved. Jaune didn't really care – he was too aggravated at the bird for shattering his focus before he could see what Pyrrha had tried to show him. The snow-dusted, ratty looking bird settled in the rafters and began shaking its feathers clean while staring at Ruby in anticipation.

"Is that the same crow from the forest?" Nora asked, hesitantly lowering Magnhild.

"It can't be," Ren replied.

"But it is," Ruby said, picking up the Scroll like she would a live bomb.

"What crow?" Blake asked while Ruby tried to break the Scroll's passcode. "Did I miss something?"

"It was before you joined up," Jaune wheezed. "As crazy as this is gonna sound, a crow saved us back in Vale. It guided us away from the Grimm hunting us and showed us a safe place to stay for the night."

"Was this before or after the Mammoths?" Blake asked.

"The night of," Ruby replied. "Wait... How long were you stalking us?" Blake blushed and pulled her blanket tighter around her shoulders. She froze, her ears perking up at a noise outside. Pyrrha began to growl from her spot near the group, and she let Jaune go before edging towards the door, hackles raised and teeth bared.

_Someone's there._

* * *

 

Weiss glanced around to make sure no one was looking and cut the ancient chain holding the warehouse doors closed. She knew for certain the crow had flown into this warehouse, and after chasing it across half the warehouse district she had no intention of letting it off the hook without freezing a few of its feathers off.

The door produced a loud, grating screech as Weiss began to push it open. Her eyes were focused on the street rather than the warehouse itself; this much noise was bound to attract some kind of attention. After several minutes, she'd pushed the door open enough to slip inside.

With a roar, the Nymean that Winter had captured slammed into Weiss's side, knocking Myrtenaster away before the young Huntress had managed to draw it fully. Weiss attempted to slip away with no success as the beast's claws scraped against her aura. Its green eyes glowed like fires in the dim light, first with hatred, then confusion, and finally recognition.

The Grimm scrambled back, whining like a puppy who knew it had done something wrong. Shaking from the sudden burst of adrenaline, Weiss pushed herself to her knees and accepted a hand offered to her. She looked up to see a familiar pair of amber-gold eyes as Blake pulled the heiress to her feet and, glancing nervously at the open door, motioned for her to follow her further inside.

"Weiss?" Jaune's voice echoed off the warehouse walls, and as her eyes adjusted, the heiress could make out the others grouped towards the center of the building. Her attention was drawn to their readied weapons and wary eyes, and she almost shuddered to think what would've happened to anyone else if they'd been unlucky enough to stumble across their hiding place. The escapees were nothing short of desperate, and Weiss couldn't blame them.

"I'm so glad you're here!" Ruby yelled, wrapping her arms around her former partner in a massive bear hug. "I mean, I'd rather we weren't _here_ , in a warehouse... Or in Atlas... Or –"

"I get your point," Weiss assured her.

"I'm guessing this is yours?" Ruby asked, holding out Weiss's scroll.

The heiress's eyes widened as she glanced between the scroll and her partner. "How did you –?"

"The crow dropped it." Ruby pointed up towards the rafters, but the ebony bird was long gone. Weiss huffed in annoyance and accepted the Scroll, then noticed Yang in the corner of her eye.

"Is she alright?" She asked, gingerly shaking the blonde's shoulder.

"No," the others chimed in unanimously. Even the Grimm shook its shaggy head. Weiss shook the girl again, and Yang shivered and lifted her head. Her bleary lilac eyes were tinged with red. She growled and brushed Weiss away with a white metal limb that was ice cold to the touch.

"You could at least say hello," Weiss snapped.

"Hello." Yang's voice dripped with anger and frustration. "Go away."

"If you want to be mopey, you can do it on the way to Mistral," Weiss said, pulling on Yang's arm in an attempt to get her on her feet. The blonde didn't budge.

"You have a way into Mistral?" Ren asked.

"I have the key to an airship and a planned route," Weiss responded with a shrug. "Fingers crossed that they both work. There's just one problem." Yang groaned. "Oh, be quiet. You can complain when you get off your butt."

"What's the problem?" Blake asked. "Besides the dangers of flying an Atlesian airship into Mistral?"

"The ship is in a hangar on the campus of Atlas Academy," Weiss said, bracing herself for the response.

Yang rose to her feet, stretched, and dusted herself off, all the while looking like she couldn't decide whether she wanted to laugh or burst into tears. "All right. I'm up, and this is the worst idea any of us have ever had."

"Do you have a better plan?" Weiss shot back.

"Not at all," Yang smiled. "Great job, Ice Queen! Once my uncle gets back, we can all get arrested together!"

* * *

 

True to his word, Qrow returned at dusk with food and supplies for the frazzled teenagers that were now fully under his care. He half expected their pet to try and maul him when he stepped through the door, but the beast was too busy skulking in the far corner. It met his eyes and began to approach him with near reverence.

"What?" Qrow called as he pulled the door closed. "The monster says hello but my own blood doesn't?" Yang's response came in the form of a pillow chucked at his head, which he allowed to hit out of pity. Ruby, on the other hand, was out cold, curled up with her crimson hood as both a blanket and a pillow. Qrow sighed and tossed the bag of supplies to the ginger haired girl – Nora? He was going to have to make a point of hammering these kids' names into his head if he intended to keep them under his not-quite-metaphorical wing.

He didn't bat an eye when he noticed Weiss Schnee sitting next to his sleeping niece and staring daggers at him. He had led her here, after all, at the cost of several feathers that wouldn't be growing back anytime soon. She wouldn't have gone home without finishing what she'd come to do. Schnees were stubborn like that.

No, what caught the old man off guard was the realization that the white haired young woman was holding his niece's hand. Her eyes narrowed when she noticed his shocked stare, almost as if she were daring him to speak up about it. Qrow decided against it – this was Taiyang's problem, not his, and the blonde would most certainly wish to deal with it personally if he ever found out. 

"Ruby, wake up," Weiss said. The redhead groaned and sat up, pulling her hand from Weiss's to disentangle herself from her hood. Her eyes lit up when she saw Qrow, and he smiled.

"Hey, kiddo. Sleep good?" Ruby nodded. "Glad to hear it, because something tells me we're all going to have a long night." He turned to Weiss. "So what's the plan, Ice Queen? Assuming you have one."

"Don't mock me, and don't call me Ice Queen," Weiss snapped. She placed her Scroll on the ground in front of her and pressed a button, and a holographic map of Atlas burst to life in the air before her. "The blinking red and blue dot is us, and the yellow dot is the hangar."

"What are the little white ones?" Ruby asked, pointing at one of the countless glowing spheres on the holographic map.

"Those represent the places where the police are normally on patrol," Weiss answered. "It doesn't take into account any barricades that have popped up since your escape or any Specialists currently hunting for you. And believe me, by now they are definitely hunting for you."

"Why are they so dead-set on hunting us down?" Nora complained, leaning over Weiss's shoulder to get a clearer view of the map.

"Well, we brought a Grimm into their city, assaulted several police officers, Ruby tried to break into a jail to break Blake and I out, Blake is a Faunus, and I don't even know how many guards Qrow took out back at the Military HQ," Yang began, glancing at Weiss. "Did I miss anything?"

"They also have a good reason to believe the White Fang kidnapped you," the heiress said.

Yang clapped her hands together, the sound not quite right with her new hand, and replied, "Perfect. Just… perfect."

"So the city is on a terrorist lockdown too?" Blake whimpered, her ears pressed so far back they almost blended in with her hair. Qrow honestly felt bad for the cat. Her luck - and the luck of her companions - was far too fitting of a black cat. Must've been hard to fight stereotypes when your whole life was turning into one.

"Relax, Blake. The last group they're going to associate you with at this point is the White Fang," Weiss said.

"So how do we sneak by them?" Jaune asked. "Pyrrha's not exactly stealthy, and Yang, your arm is going to stick out like a sore thumb."

"At least it doesn't have a tracking device in it." Yang shrugged, then added, "They would already be here if it had a tracker in it, right?"

"Definitely," Qrow said as he yawned.

"If we could get back on track," Weiss demanded, huffing at the pair. She swiped her screen a few more times and the blue and red dot split into two separate lines, with each path leading through various back streets and alleys to Atlas Academy. "Jaune, your team, the lion included, should take the blue path. It's less likely to have any surprise patrols, and there are more than enough shadows for the lion to hide in."

"I'm going to ignore you calling Pyrrha 'the lion' and ask what route your team is taking," Jaune sighed, rubbing the large Grimm between her shoulder blades. "Ow!" He jerked his hand back and stared at the thin line of blood welling up on his palm. 

"We can discuss that cut later, Jaune. Ruby, we're taking the red path, if that's okay with you,” Weiss continued.

"You're the one who knows this city," Ruby responded. "If you say it's the best way out, then I really don't have a choice but to trust you on that."

"Hang on," Blake pointed out a spot where Team RWBY's route went out of its way to avoid an entire area of the city. "Is that - "

"An area of the city primarily inhabited by Faunus." Weiss nodded. "It's the last place we want to be tonight." Something about the way she said it gave Blake chills despite already knowing what she meant. "Once we're reunited at the school, I'll create a diversion and lead the security away long enough for the rest of you to get on the ship."

"How are you going to do that?" Ren inquired.

"I've been working on my summoning glyphs. I'm not perfect, but I'll do what I can," she replied. "And before I forget…" Weiss opened up her bag and tossed a rolled up winter jacket to Blake. "I grabbed that for you. I know it's not really your style, but if you step outside with what you have on you are going to freeze to death." Blake nodded, pulling the white coat on over her sleeveless shirt. 

"Right. If that's everything, we'd better get going," Qrow said. "I'll stay with Team JNPR to make sure nothing happens to Nikos. Yang, take care of your sister."

* * *

 

Ruby ducked into the alley she'd come from and bit back a yelp when she saw the first unlabeled patrol. Her teammates picked up on her panic and Yang pulled her further back into the alleyway. The soldiers hadn't spotted her and passed after a few minutes, giving the girls enough time to slip past. By the time the men had turned around, RWBY was already long gone.

"How much further is the school?" Ruby asked. Weiss rolled her eyes and passed the redhead her Scroll. The team was just beyond the halfway point, but that still left them with at least one more stressful hour of sneaking around.

"Oooh, cool map!" An energetic female voice all too familiar to Weiss and Yang piped up from behind the group. "You guys are all under arrest, by the way." Yang whirled around and attempted to punch Neon with her right hand, but the ginger cat caught the blow with ease and grinned. "You know this is a civilian model, right?" She pushed the blonde back into Ruby's arms and pulled her glowchucks from her belt. "You can't fight with it,” she finished with a smile, and RWBY exchanged a look.

She sidestepped a blow from Blake. "C'mon, does this have to turn into a fight? Really?" A combined attack from Weiss and Ruby knocked the Faunus back into the street, and the group took off running. Neon caught up in moments and cracked her glowchucks, which turned bright blue. Weiss gritted her teeth and tossed Ruby her Scroll.

"I'll catch up," she promised before waving the girl off. "Go!" The redhead hesitated, but Yang grabbed her hood and pulled her away. Before Ruby could slip her sister's grip, a wall of ice exploded between Weiss and her team.


	23. Chapter 23

Weiss watched through the ice as her teammates rounded the nearest corner before turning around to face her opponent, she drew Myrtenaster and held it at the ready. The ginger cat Faunus before her had an impish smile on her face and skated back and forth as though the entire situation was just a game. Weiss grimaced and spun her rapier's Dust chamber.

"Hello, Neon," the heiress greeted icily. Neon swung her glowchucks around teasingly.

"Hey, Weiss! Nice ice wall! You're actually getting halfway decent!" She responded, impish smile still in place. After a small silence, she put on an expression of mock sadness. "Too bad you won't be able to do much of that in jail." Weiss narrowed her eyes and growled.

"You'll have to fight me if you want to arrest me, you do realize that?" Weiss raised one eyebrow at the ginger. Neon giggled at her question.

"Of course, silly! I mean, that is why I have these out," Neon replied and raised her weapon in the air, the impish grin returning. "And this time… I won't be holding anything back." With those words, the Faunus dashed forward and the fight began

Neon struck and Weiss blocked with Myrtenaster, glyphs forming beneath her to aid in her escape. The two girls moved too fast for the eye to follow, leaving white and multi-colored blurs in their wake. The sounds of weapons clashing filled the air for a few moments, drawing the attention of a nearby squadron of Atlas Policemen, who decided to investigate. As the squadron drew closer, Weiss managed to lock Neon's leg in a block of ice. The Faunus shattered it with ease, but she wasn't fast enough to keep the patrol from getting a good look at the situation. The Schnee heiress was being attacked by one of their Faunus officers with no apparent reason.

"Halt!" The leader called, clearly infuriated with Neon, who froze at the call. She immediately tightened up into a salute, lowering her eyes and storing her glowchucks in their holster as she replied with a "Sir, yes sir!" A few of the squadron members stepped in front of Weiss to shield her from what they perceived as a threat. As they did so, the officer in charge walked up to Neon and began verbally tearing into her actions.

"What the hell were you doing, mongrel?! You animals can't - " Weiss winced sympathetically and tuned out the man's tirade as she looked around for an escape. She looked back at Neon, who made eye contact with her. Weiss shuddered at the anger that flashed through the cat's eyes before she slipped away through a side alley and crept towards the Atlas Academy campus.

* * *

Jaune looked around the corner of the gray building in an attempt to evaluate how many guards were in the area. He counted the troops off in his head before grimacing and turning back to the rest of his team behind him. "There're at least 40 of them out there. I don't know how we're gonna get through." Qrow smirked at him before slipping the mask back on his face.

"I do," he said as he ran out toward the guards. "Don't wait up!" He shouted over his shoulder.

"Wait!" Jaune called after him. "Where are you going?! And why did you keep that stupid mask?!"

"Makin' a distraction! And because I felt like it! Now go!" Jaune grumbled a bit as he gestured for the others to follow him towards the hangar. On their way out, they could hear Qrow behind them. "Hey there, you pieces of junk. Wanna dance?"

The four remaining continued to make their way across the Atlas campus, avoiding the routine patrols as they went. When they reached their destination, however, they were faced with a problem: there was a group of guards at the entrance. "Great," Nora said. "Now how are we supposed to get through?" At her question, Ren tipped his head to the side.

"Jaune… You still have that Atlas Academy uniform on. Is there any way you can try to get us inside?"

"I can try," Jaune replied with a touch of skepticism. "I doubt it'll work, though. It's not like I have an ID or anything." Pyrrha shook her head.

 _If it doesn't work out, I can just destroy the bots so we can get inside,_ she suggested. Jaune nodded.

"Okay, well, that'll be our backup plan then." With that, he jogged off toward the hangar, straightening his uniform as he went. The rest of the team sat back and watched him in apprehension. They could see as the conversation slowly got more heated before Jaune finally turned back towards them. _Pyrrha, I need that backup!_

With a roar, the Nymean burst out from the alley and began attacking the drones, Ren and Nora following closely behind her. They decimated the small group guarding the hangar, destroying every last one before quietly slipping inside after Ren cleared the building. After a few moments, Pyrrha became aware of a small pinprick pain in her side and sat down. She yanked the tranquilizer dart out with her teeth, spat it out onto the ground, and stumbled after her teammates without thinking twice.

* * *

After glancing around the last corner, the three members of team RWBY snuck toward the back door of the hangar and slipped inside. They silently made their way toward where the airship was docked as they followed the map Weiss had left them. As they approached, they heard a familiar voice.

"Hey! RWBY made it!" Nora shouted with an enthusiastic wave before tilting her head in confusion. "Where's Weiss?" At the mention of one of them missing, Jaune turned around.

"Well, she kind of… Stayed back to fight Neon? She said she'd catch up!" Ruby explained as she stepped out of the shadows.

"I hope she does soon or else one of us is gonna have to pilot this thing," Jaune said and ran a hand through his hair. "I hope Qrow catches up soon, too." Ruby gave him a look.

"Wait… Where's Uncle Qrow?" Jaune sighed and opened his mouth to explain only to be cut off by a familiar voice from the other end of the hangar. They turned around to face it.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing! All of you are doubting me? Really?" Weiss joked as she strutted toward the group. Qrow followed closely behind her, his mask nowhere to be found. Weiss's teammates ran toward the girl and tackled her in a giant hug. She gently pushed them off and rose to her feet, brushing off her dress before pulling a key out of her pocket. "Now then, who's ready to get out of here?"


	24. Chapter 24

Jaune flopped down in one of the large cargo nets hanging in the lower half of the ship that Weiss had secured. Pyrrha awkwardly attempted to follow him up, but she kept tripping over her own paws in the process. Nora noticed the struggling Nymean and wrapped her arms around her waist, lifting her into the makeshift bed with a grunt of effort. Pyrrha nodded at the ginger in thanks and flopped onto her back next to Jaune.

 _Thank you, Nora,_ the Nymean hummed, her voice a bit hazy. Her paws swam lazily through the air, and Jaune could hear her absently musing that her claws weren't the same as her fingers while she flexed them. The blonde stroked her stomach and closed his eyes as he leaned onto her chest. He probably wasn't supposed to hear her thoughts, but if Pyrrha felt safe enough to worry about her lost digits, he supposed he could relax.

"Pyrrha says thank you," Jaune translated as he yawned.

"Don't mention it," Nora said, grinning. "Hey Weiss, how long is this flight gonna be, anyway?"

"At top speed and under ideal conditions, it should be around thirteen hours," the heiress answered. She shot the hangar outside one last glance before sealing the airship's hatch. "If one of you could stay awake as my spotter, that would be lovely."

"I will!" Ruby volunteered enthusiastically. Weiss nodded, a grin flashing across her face for a brief moment.

"Right," she said. "Thank you, Ruby. As for the rest of you, there are a few extra seats up top. They aren't exactly comfortable, but they're better than the nets." She glanced at Jaune and Pyrrha as Qrow shrugged and pulled himself into the other cargo net.

"I'll go upstairs," Blake decided. Within minutes, the others had made their decisions, leaving Jaune, Pyrrha, Qrow, and Ren in the cargo hold. Jaune reached out to the Nymean with his mind.

_You okay, Pyr?_

_I... I don't – It's all fuzzy..._ Pyrrha's voice was even more slurred than before. _Got hit with another dart. I didn't think anything of it at the time... But now..._ Her eyes grew wide and glassy. She flopped her head onto Jaune's leg and whispered, _There's a blue Beowulf in the corner._

Jaune knew in a few seconds he'd be dragged down with her, so he unclipped his sword from his belt and tossed it to Ren.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Ren asked. Jaune pointed at his temple.

"Right here, buddy," he replied, feeling a wave of drowsiness hit him. "Smack me with the pommel. Just put us both out of our misery before it really starts."

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea," Ren said with concern as a strange blue creature began to appear in Jaune's peripheral vision.

 _Ah-ha!_ Pyrrha slurred triumphantly. _I told you there was a – Ooh, look at the shiny pink kitties!_

"Just do it. Please." Jaune sighed. "Pyrrha got tranqed. She's hallucinating, so now _I'm_ hallucinating with her. Please, just knock me out." The sound of Qrow's stifled laughter rose from the other net, and Jaune glared at the man's turned back.

"Okay..." Ren nodded hesitantly.

 _Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait! I still need to show you this!_ Pyrrha yelped, her words barely comprehensible.

Jaune wasn't sure if it was the memory that knocked him out or the sword handle being slammed into his head. Either way, he regretted it.

* * *

_At first, the icy cold surrounding the girl had been a welcome relief from the all-consuming heat that had burned her alive. However, as the fog in her mind cleared, she became confused. She slowly opened her eyes, expecting light to greet her; instead, there was nothing but a sea of black. She turned her head, the motion slow, clunky, and awkward. Not only did her body seem alien, but it almost felt as if she were moving through some sort of liquid._

Is this the afterlife? _she wondered, reaching out with her... Arm? Something wasn't right. The limb felt short and stubby and just plain_ wrong _. She tried flexing her fingers and to her horror sensed no movement. Her panic only grew when her outstretched arm brushed against ice cold glass. This was_ not _the afterlife._

_She opened her mouth to scream - whether for help or out of pure terror, she did not know. The foul-tasting black fluid filled her mouth and flowed down her throat. Pyrrha choked and for a moment was certain she would drown. She flailed desperately and felt a needle of some sort rip from the back of her neck._

What is this?! Where am I?!

_"With me," an unfamiliar female voice said soothingly. With a hiss, the fluid in the tank began to drain, and within seconds, Pyrrha lay soaking wet and shivering on a frigid crystalline surface. She shook the oil from her eyes and tried to push herself to her feet, but stumbled and collapsed. Her head felt far too big, and her arms and legs were far too short. Pulsing, vein-like wires and tubes were attached to all of her limbs as well as her chest, and the needle from her neck lay nearby dripping clear fluid. Worse still, the thing staring back at her in the purplish glass was most certainly not human._

_She raised her head to stare up at the ghastly pale, red-eyed woman who was standing over her and smiling. The woman withdrew a hand from her black cloak, and Pyrrha flinched away from the skeletal limb. Her attempt to shout "No!" only resulted in a pathetic, kitten-like mewl._

What did she do to me?! _She cried, her mind flashing to her final moments._ Was my death not enough for her?

_"Hush, my dear," the woman crooned, her voice filled with almost maternal affection. She grabbed Pyrrha's scruff, her touch putting the undead Huntress in a trance as she reattached the needle to her unwilling test subject's neck. She stroked the girl with a hand as cold and stiff as a cadaver's. Unnatural calm filled Pyrrha, lasting even while her apparent captor sealed the tube and the black fluid rose up again around her paws. As Pyrrha drifted off again, she heard the woman speak one last time._

_"I have such big plans for you."_


	25. Chapter 25

Jaune jerked awake, his heart pounding painfully against his ribcage as he panted from the shock brought on by the vision. His skin was crawling, and it felt cold and clammy; flashes of the monstrous woman – Salem, his brain corrected – came back to him, and his hands shook as he brought them up to his face. He tried to calm his turning stomach, but after a few seconds he couldn't control it anymore. The blonde placed a hand on the roof to steady himself as he promptly emptied the contents of his stomach into one of the cargo crates aboard the ship.

 _Jaune?!_ The red-furred Nymean next to him struggled to her feet, trying to fight through the last dregs of tranquilizer affecting her as she hurried across the cargo net to where her partner lay retching. Pyrrha's worry and fear washed over Jaune, causing another wave of nausea that made him sick again. Pyrrha's nose hovered close to his cheek, her paw placed gently on his back in an attempt to ground him. _It's all right. I'm here, Jaune. Let the vision go, everything is all right,_ she purred gently in his head to calm him down. After a moment, Jaune brought a hand up to wipe his mouth and turned to her with a weak smile.

"I'm okay, Pyr," he said, voice shaking and weak. "I-I think so, at least." The Grimm rubbed her cheek against his softly, affectionately, and gently curled around him as if to protect him from what he'd seen, careful to keep any spikes that were growing in far away from him. Jaune wrapped one arm around her, burying his fingers in her thick crimson fur and placing his head against her side. He spent a few minutes listening to her breathing beside him and let the steady rhythm of it calm him down.

 _Are you feeling a little better?_ Pyrrha asked, her green eyes watching his face steadily. Jaune took another deep breath and tried to collect his thoughts before answering, but he couldn't quite shake what he had seen.

"What was that, Pyrrha? _Who_ was that?" He asked by way of a response, meeting her eyes for a moment before she looked away, guilt coming off of her in waves. Jaune closed his eyes and ran his hands through her fur as he waited for her to answer.

 _I… I'm so sorry you were forced to see that, Jaune,_ Pyrrha began, placing her head in his lap and refusing to look him in the eyes. _That… That was Salem, the woman who did this to me. It was… A memory._ Jaune exhaled harshly.

"Gotcha. That was… Pretty horrifying," he commented, fingers tightening in Pyrrha's fur as he tried to shut out any recollection of what he'd seen. He really didn't feel like throwing up again.

The pair sat up in the cargo net for a bit longer, snuggled together and enjoying each other's presence. Jaune slowly ran his fingers along Pyrrha's spine, stopping every few minutes or so to scratch her behind the ear or on the shoulder blade. The Nymean purred steadily at him, rubbing her cheek into his hand and raising her head to touch her nose to his every so often. They were content to just lay together for the first time in a while, but that was interrupted when Weiss called back to the others from the cockpit.

"We have a distress beacon coming in from a village nearby. Are your two ready to fly down and help?" Jaune sighed and patted Pyrrha gently on the head before getting up. He made his way off the cargo net, trying not to catch his feet in the holes, and hopped down to the floor, making a note to dump the vomit-filled box below the net later as he headed toward the front of the ship. When he reached the cockpit, Ruby and Qrow were crowded around the dashboard, while the others kept their distance.

"Hey guys. What's the beacon about?" He asked. The two members of the Xiao Long-Rose family turned to face him, while Weiss remained focused on the control panel, clicking buttons here and there and gently steering the ship towards the village.

"Looks like the villagers lost a kid," Qrow finally explained as he pulled up the beacon's information on a screen. "They might be in danger, but we've got to land to get more info." Weiss turned to look at all of them.

"We're running low on Dust to fly anyway, so we have to refill sometime soon. It'd be prudent to just land here and fuel up, and then decide whether to stay the course or not," the heiress advised, eyes focused on the sky through the ship's windshield. "That's what I was just telling these two." Jaune nodded in understanding and glanced back down at Pyrrha, who was still curled up in the cargo net, before turning to look out at the village ahead of them.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?"

* * *

Upon landing in the village, most of the group piled out of the ship and began heading for the town center, leaving Jaune and Pyrrha inside. The Grimm whined at her partner, giving him puppy eyes as he shook his head.

"No, Pyrrha, you can't come with us. The villagers'll try to hurt you. I'm sorry," Jaune said apologetically as he scratched her behind her ears again. Pyrrha looked down in dejection.

 _I really don't want to be left alone in here, Jaune…_ She responded, a tinge of sadness and fear in her tone. Jaune ran a hand through his hair and sighed loudly.

"I don't wanna leave you here by yourself, trust me," he began as he squatted down to meet her eyes and placed a hand gently on top of her head. "It'll only be for a few minutes, I promise. We just gotta get the summary for this mission and then we'll be back, okay?" Pyrrha merely nodded in response and pouted at him as he walked down the ramp and off the ship. "Stay inside, Pyr."

Jaune watched long enough to see the ramp close up and lock before he huffed and hurried to catch up with the others, an immense guilt weighing in his stomach. He _hated_ leaving her alone, even when he knew she could defend herself just fine. As the blonde walked away, he could swear he heard Pyrrha whining after him, but with a shake of his head, he continued on to the town center.

When he arrived, Jaune found the others already in conversation with an older man. He walked up to stand with them and hear the last snippets of the mission details, and Ruby moved aside to give him room. Jaune nodded to her in thanks before turning his attention back to the conversation.

"...A small child, a female deer Faunus with a tail trait around four to five years old, got lost in the woods around the village not long ago. It seems she was playing with some of the other children and wandered off too far. The hunting parties have spotted a pride of Nymeans, so the girl is in grave danger, and we still don't have any clue as to where she may be," the elder summarized, desperation coloring his words as his fists clenched at his side. He looked up and his eyes wandered over each of their faces before he continued, "We hate to ask you all to go out and find her, but we're truly worried. Please, help us." Jaune and Ruby exchanged a glance before the red-head stepped forward.

"We'd happily help in any way we can, sir."

* * *

After receiving the mission brief and helping his friends gather supplies for their mission, Jaune ran ahead to get back to the airship. He bounced on his toes as the ramp to the ship lowered, trying to be patient while the mechanisms did their work. Before the ramp even fully hit the ground, Jaune heard a loud yelp of excitement as he was bowled over by a purring mass of red fur. The blonde giggled while his partner rubbed her cheek against his, and he lightly patted her chest after a moment.

"All right, Pyr. Please let me get up." Pyrrha gently grabbed his hood in her teeth and pulled him up, and she sat in front of him. He smiled at her and rubbed a hand across her shoulder blade - careful to avoid the newly forming bone spur between them - as the others caught up to him.

"Jeez, Jaune!" Nora called to him as she came to a halt next to Pyrrha, trying to catch her breath from having raced after her leader. Jaune just chuckled at her before looking at Ruby.

"Are we all packed up? If we are, we can just head out from here," he said, fingers tugging on one of the straps of his backpack, and Ruby nodded. Without a moment's hesitation, the group took off towards the forest, their pace speaking to the urgency with which they needed to rescue the child. Jaune and Pyrrha walked side-by-side as they circled the village through the woods, calling out for the child and hoping that they'd get lucky and find her without too much trouble.

About an hour after they'd set out, Pyrrha caught a trace the girl's scent and took over tracking her. They traveled for another half an hour before she turned back to Jaune, meeting his eyes as she spoke. _I can sense fear nearby._ The blond grimaced.

"Can you tell if she's okay?" He asked, hoping for a positive answer, but Pyrrha shook her head. Jaune sighed and continued forward.

"At leaast we know she's alive," Qrow commented. Jaune nodded but didn't say anything.

The others fanned out behind Jaune and Pyrrha as the latter continued tracking the child, her actions becoming more frenzied as they drew closer. Finally, Pyrrha dashed off ahead of the group with no warning.

"Pyrrha, wait!" Jaune shouted as the group raced to keep up with her. When they caught up, they found Pyrrha standing in a defensive position over the missing child and growling, surrounded by a pack of older Nymeans. Their fur was black as night, eyes red as blood, and they were covered in spikes and bone plates from head to toe. They were four times Pyrrha's size; Jaune estimated that the tallest stood the height of some of the mansions in Vale, and had claws and fangs to match. The Grimm looked shocked - if that was possible – that one of their own had stopped to defend a human. After a moment, the biggest of the pack began barking in laughter at Pyrrha's show.

 _What is this? A tiny girl trying to stand up to us? You're funny, little one,_ the leader said, and Jaune gasped slightly as he realized he could hear them as well, thinking that they must've been using the Grimm link to do so. Pyrrha merely continued growling and dug her claws into the earth beneath her. Ruby tapped Jaune on the shoulder before sneaking behind the red Grimm with Qrow and snatching the little girl up from behind her. Pyrrha waved her tail in thanks, her attention focused on the enemies in front of her.

 _I may be small, but I can still take you down,_ Pyrrha snarled up at the large Grimm, her eyes narrowed and blazing. It snorted at her, and the group of students behind readied themselves for a fight. Qrow stood in front of them, his sword held out in defense of the less experienced teenagers. The Grimm, however, didn't seem to care about the humans and were still focused on the red-furred oddity who dared to challenge them so boldly.

 _Oh, you can, can you? Please._ With that, it scanned the humans in front of it, determining their threat level before it jerked its head to signal the others to follow and began walking away. _Come on, Salem's calling us,_ it said, before turning back and meeting Pyrrha's eyes. _Face reality, tiny_ _one. You're naught but a baby._ As if on cue, Pyrrha began snarling.

"Oh no," Jaune said, feeling fury roll off his partner in waves. "Pyrrha, please don't."

What _did you just call me?_ The red-furred lion asked angrily, her eyes flashing red for a moment. The Nymean looking at her smirked before repeating itself, its voice dripping with derision.

_You're a baby. A yearling. An armorless newborn._

Pyrrha snapped, roaring loudly and jumping onto the leader's flank. She clawed at its fur, ripping tufts of it free, and sunk her teeth deep into its shoulder. The leader growled quietly in discomfort but shook Pyrrha off with ease. With a casual swipe of his paw, he sent the infant Nymean flying, and she tumbled across the ground before finally coming to a painful stop. _Nice try, but you're too small to stand a chance against us,_ child _._ _Why the master desires to bring you back into the fold is beyond me. You are_ weak _, weaker than even these puny Hunters-to-be and their Huntsman master._

Pyrrha struggled to her feet, whimpering with pain, and Jaune rushed to her side. Her eyes tracked the pride as it left, and when they were gone her head dipped down. _I'm sorry, Jaune. If they had attacked…_ She didn't need to finish her sentence for Jaune to figure out what she meant. He shook his head at her.

"It's fine, Pyr. We're fine," he calmed her, one hand rubbing her shoulder reassuringly. "But next time, please, _please_ don't go after them when they're walking away. That could've ended really, really badly." Pyrrha's head drooped even further.

 _I'm not a baby, Jaune,_ she whimpered by way of an apology, a feeling of insecurity coating the words. Jaune sighed.

"I know, Pyrrha. I know."

* * *

The team walked back toward the village with the small deer Faunus child in tow, her little tail twitching in excitement as they went. The little girl seemed fixated with Pyrrha, as she hung off of the Nymean's forelegs as she walked. Pyrrha did her best to walk in a way that did not disturb the girl or knock her away, and Jaune smiled a bit at the sight of the pair. Once they reached the edge of town, Pyrrha broke off from the group.

 _I should stay out here so no one gets scared,_ she explained when the others turned to her. Jaune knitted his eyebrows.

"What are you talking about? At least go wait back in the airship, Pyr," he said, trying to reason with her, but the Nymean shook her head.

 _I don't think it would be wise to take the airship from here. You all don't know Mistral quite like I do; they'll shoot down the ship sooner than they would radio to find out what's going on, especially since tensions are high between Mistral and Atlas, and the ship_ is _Atlesian,_ Pyrrha advised as she nudged the child off of her leg. _It'd be better to walk like we did in Vale._ Jaune nodded at her before translating to the others, who all agreed with the idea.

As the group began to head back within the walls and Pyrrha finally peeled the Faunus child off her leg, Blake approached the girl and motioned for her to follow. With one last glance at the Nymean, the deer dashed up to Blake and gave her a tight hug. The cat-eared Huntress smiled and gently led the child inside, and Pyrrha watched them leave. She took a place outside the gate and watched the horizon, a crimson sentinel ready to face any danger that threatened the village.

* * *

Jaune, Ruby, and Blake wasted no time delivering the child to the town center. When they arrived, the girl tore away from Blake and ran to her parents, who hugged her tightly. The girl's parents and the elder they had spoken to earlier thanked all of them profusely. The teenagers accepted the praise and reward with grace, but they were eager to leave and slipped away at the first opportunity. As they stepped out of the ramshackle building, Jaune realized the sun was starting to set.

"We should split up and gather supplies. We can use the money we got from the mission to stay here for the night, but we'll have to look for supplies now so we can leave first thing in the morning," he suggested. Blake and Ruby nodded in agreement, and the three parted ways. As Blake began searching for Yang, she chuckled at the thought that Ruby had run off to find her own partner. She wasn't sure what exactly Ruby felt towards Weiss, but she had been especially clingy since their reunion at the warehouse.

The cat was so lost in thought that she almost failed to notice Yang standing in the street, speaking with a lizard-tailed man. Blake waved to get her attention, and the blonde said a hasty goodbye to the Faunus so she could join her partner.

"So how'd it go?" Yang asked.

"Fine," Blake replied. "The girl's family was waiting for her." The cat smiled again at the thought of the looks of relief on the faces of the parents and town elder.

"Sounds sweet. Speaking of which." Yang rummaged around in her pocket and pulled out a wrapped sweet, offering it to her partner. Blake rolled her eyes at the pun but accepted the candy with a grin. Yang pulled out two more and popped one in her mouth before putting the other back. "Don't tell Ruby, okay? She normally doesn't like lemon flavored stuff, but she's been craving sugar for ages. I wanna surprise her."

"You don't have to worry about me spoiling it," Blake chuckled. "Come on, we need to go -" A voice from behind them cut her off before she could finish.

"Welcome back, Blake."

Blake froze, not wanting to look back. She glanced over at Yang and for the first time saw the blonde utterly terrified. At the sound of footsteps behind her, Blake forced herself to turn and face the man approaching her and was just in time to see him slip a white Grimm mask over his eyes.

 _Why?_ She wanted to scream at him. _Why can't you just leave me alone?_ She settled for grabbing Yang's wrist and pulling the blonde down the street. Adam didn't follow right away, and Blake could only pray he would give them a generous lead.


	26. Chapter 26

Yang snapped from her terrified stupor just as Adam began casually strolling after she and Blake. Blind with panic, the blonde fired off round after round from Ember Celica despite Blake desperately trying to pull her away. The horned man grinned and caught each explosive bullet on his sword without slowing down. Seeing the man treat her normally devastating Dust ammunition like it was nothing wasn't enough to make Yang freeze up again, but a glimpse of a familiar golden bracelet around his right wrist was.

Luckily for the blonde, she had to stumble around a corner after Blake or risk having the Faunus rip her prosthetic off. After a moment's struggle, Yang gave in and let her partner guide her. Her heart thundered in her chest. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't hear. Suddenly she was a little girl again, surrounded by monsters, with no salvation in sight and no hope of fighting them off herself. There was no doubt in her mind that she was about to die.

There was no telling how much time passed before Blake snapped her out of it. One moment her senses were overloaded with fear and the next she heard her partner calling her name once, twice, three times, shaking her shoulders as if trying to wake her from a long sleep. Yang jerked away, lilac eyes wide and tinged red with terror and confusion, and sank to the ground, back against the wall of whatever building Blake had hidden them in. The blonde could hardly see through the haze that clouded her eyes as she struggled to get her breathing under control. She covered her face with her palms, unsure whether the dampness she felt was from sweat or tears. Her entire body shook from the adrenaline still coursing through her veins.

As the minutes ticked by, her fear turned to shame. She'd been longing for a rematch with Adam Taurus for months, her dreams full of scenes in which she tore him apart for what he'd done. The mere thought of him had sparked rage in her that, for a long time after the fall of Beacon, only Blake's abandonment had. Yang had intended to face him like a warrior - like a dragon. Instead, she'd panicked and hadn't even been able to flee on her own. What was wrong with her? How could this have happened? She didn't fear him! She couldn't! –But she did.

"Why is he here?" She managed to whimper, trying to get her mind off of her self-doubt.

"I don't know," Blake whispered, and Yang noted that she was afraid, too.

"What does he want?" The blonde asked, looking up at the cat Faunus.

"I...I don't know, Yang," her partner responded, voice a little louder, and Yang shifted a little.

"Did we lose him?"

Blake sighed. "Maybe, but it won't be for long. Adam doesn't travel alone. If he doesn't find us in here –"

"One of his soldiers will," Yang finished, running her good hand through her bangs. As her eyes finally adjusted to the dark interior of the building, she picked up her head to look around. The first thing Yang noticed were the organized rows of pews that filled the room from front to back, and she snorted slightly when she realized where they were: a church. She took a shaky breath, a wry grin spreading across her face. "You know, somehow I doubt your ex-partner is old-fashioned enough to respect us declaring sanctuary in here."

"Definitely not," Blake agreed. "But it was the only place I could think of to hide where none of the villagers would get hurt if we were found."

"Good thinking," Yang nodded, a bit of confidence returning with each word. "Thanks for getting me out of there. You saved my life. Again."

"Don't mention it," Blake replied, looking over to meet Yang's eyes. "It's the least I can do to repay you for..." Yang noticed her glancing at her metal arm. "For causing that."

"This?" Yang asked, lightly banging her left fist against her metal arm. "Blake, this wasn't your fault. It's not like you asked for Adam to show up and maim me."

"But I'm the reason he -"

"Nope," Yang cut her off, a small smile on her face. "The only thing you were responsible for that night is abandoning everyone, but I don't feel like talking about that right now. You?" Blake shook her head, looking sheepish. "Didn't think so."

It was a moment before Blake spoke again. "We're not the only ones he'll be going after. He said he would destroy _everything_ I cared about. What if he finds the others?" As if on cue, both girls' Scrolls began to ring. Yang didn't hesitate to pull hers from her pocket and answer it.

"Yang, are you okay?" Ruby's frantic voice crackled through the speaker, the weak connection from the downed CCT signal messing with the call. The unmistakable sound of steel clashing against steel could be heard in the background, and before Yang could even think to answer she heard her sister yelp in pain.

"Ruby!" Yang shouted, jumping to her feet. She heard Crescent Rose firing off several shots, but the noise was distant, as though her younger sibling had dropped her Scroll.

 _Or someone took it,_ Yang thought as she began running towards the church door. Burning rage built in her chest at the thought of Adam or anyone else in the White Fang hurting her sister, but before she reached the door, Ruby recovered her Scroll.

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Ruby blurted. "There's just White Fang goons everywhere. Where are you guys?!"

"We're at the church on the south side of town," Blake answered. Yang turned to see that the Faunus had answered her Scroll as well. "Is everyone okay?"

"I'm not sure," Ruby replied. "I think Jaune's with Ren and Nora, and Pyrrha's still outside, but Weiss won't pick up her Scroll and -" Ruby fired off another round, " - Uncle Qrow is fighting some weird guy with red hair and horns."

"Ruby, you need to get out of there," Yang said, desperation coloring her voice. "Can you make it to the gate?"

"Yeah, can do," the small girl's voice crackled back.

"Then we'll meet you there. Be safe, sis."

"You too, Yang. I love you." With that, Ruby ended the call. Yang stared at the screen for a moment and struggled with the urge to call her sister back. If she couldn't be there to protect her the way she always promised she would, then surely she could at least make sure she was safe until they were reunited. The blonde shook her head – Ruby was a huntress too. She could handle herself just as well - if not better - than Yang could. After all, she had full use of both arms in combat.

Blake placed a comforting hand on her partner's shoulder, but Yang didn't respond. The blonde sighed and pulled up Jaune's number, and by the time he responded to her call, the two girls were outside and running up the street.

"Jaune, are Ren and Nora with you?" Yang asked.

"Yes! Where are you?" Jaune shouted frantically. As with Ruby, the sounds of combat could be heard in the background. Yang exchanged a worried glance with Blake. Why were there no soldiers where they were?

"Heading towards the gate," Yang replied. "Can you get there?" An explosion blasted through the speakers, and Yang could feel the ground shaking beneath her feet. Jaune answered a few seconds later.

"Uh, we can now."

"Great, see you in a few minutes."

"Yang, wa -" The blonde hung up before Jaune could finish. Without skipping a beat, she called Weiss next, eyes scanning each shadow and alley to ensure she and Blake weren't ambushed. When Weiss didn't answer, Yang tried again and again and again, dread building in the pit of her stomach with every missed call. And still, even as the sounds of combat drew closer, no White Fang soldiers appeared to attack the two Huntresses. Their absence was unnerving, to say the least.

After Weiss failed to answer for the fifth time, Yang gave up. Either the heiress had dropped her Scroll or she was in serious trouble. One way or the other, Yang knew she and Blake had to find her.

It was much easier than Yang anticipated. As the two passed an alley, a streak of white slammed into Blake and knocked her off her feet. Yang stared in shock as Weiss and Blake tumbled head over heels and crashed into a wall. The heiress was quick to push herself to her feet and stumble away, dazed and bleeding from a cut on her arm but otherwise okay. The Faunus wasn't so lucky. Blake tried to rise to her feet but cried out and fell back down, clutching her left ankle. Without hesitation, Yang rushed to her side and helped her up.

"What's wrong?" Weiss asked.

"Remember that ankle injury I told you about?" Blake reminded the girl. Weiss's eyes grew wide and she nodded. She turned to Yang but didn't get a chance to speak before White Fang soldiers exploded out of the alleyway she'd come flying from. The girls were surrounded in seconds.

"Oh, great," Yang said as she sent a soldier flying with a punch from Ember Celica. "You brought friends. Thanks, Weiss. You shouldn't have." She felt a sword slam against the aura on her back, and Blake let go of her shoulder and attacked the offending grunt, leaving him unconscious. The cat may have been favoring her left leg, but she was standing nonetheless. Yang tried to offer her partner support again, but Blake brushed her away.

"Just stay behind me and watch my back," Weiss instructed, stepping in front of her teammates. She held out Myrtenaster and a white, flickering glyph began to form on its tip, but the White Fang weren't waiting around for her to finish what she was doing. Yang soon found herself fighting back attackers from all sides with just Blake at her back.

"Yep, a cripple and an amputee, we can totally handle this," Yang grumbled. Her strategy boiled down to punch, dodge, shoot, make sure Blake was on her feet and nobody was too close to Weiss, repeat. After a few moments, she felt her Aura beginning to wane. She turned to Weiss and shouted, "Any day now, Ice Queen!"

Just as she spoke, the glyph at the tip of Weiss's rapier seemed to explode outward. From the center of the white nova came the massive disembodied arm of some sort of knight. Yang stared in awe as the thing swung a sword at least two feet taller than her, knocking soldiers aside like rag dolls and clearing a path from the melee. The lucky few grunts who weren't unconscious or on the receiving end of the knight arm's second swing began to flee in terror.

Yang was almost disappointed when Weiss sheathed Myrtenaster and the arm dissipated in a flurry of white lights. The heiress stumbled in exhaustion, and Yang placed a hand on her shoulder to steady her.

"You okay?" The blonde asked. Weiss gave her a weak thumbs up. "Great. Blake, let's go. I really don't wanna be here if - " Her words caught in her throat, and she couldn't bring herself to say 'If my uncle doesn't win.' "Let's just go, okay?"

"And just where do you plan on going, huh?" Yang spun around to face the now laughing White Fang soldier. "You're in our territory now, Xiao Long. No matter where you run, we'll find you. Just do the smart thing and give up, and maybe Adam will take it easy on you."

Yang clenched her fists, resisting the urge to charge the young man. He was down, and there was nothing he could do anymore but talk. Yang took a deep breath and did her best to muster a confident smile before responding, "If by 'take it easy on us', you mean 'kill us in a slightly less excruciating fashion', I think we're gonna have to pass, sorry." Blake leaned on her shoulder, the strength she'd been using to fight evidently all gone. Yang wrapped a supportive hand around her wrist and turned her back on the White Fang soldier. The man continued to jeer and taunt after them, and it was difficult for the blonde to grit her teeth and keep moving.

 _How good would it feel to take a few seconds to charge back and shut him up?_ Yang shook her head, refusing to dwell on the idea.

* * *

On the edge of the woods, Pyrrha struggled to keep herself under control as the tide of emotions from the village flooded over her. Her tail lashed like a whip, her claws dug into still not-yet-thawed earth, and a growl rose from deep in her throat, all calming exercises she'd begun to develop while Jaune slept. They were far from perfect, but for the time being, they worked; perhaps more importantly, they allowed her to keep her focus on the horizon. If she was struggling to resist the temptation, then there was no doubt that the Grimm would come.

 _The_ other _Grimm,_ she corrected herself. The former Huntress was beginning to have trouble drawing the line. She realized that as time passed, she was slowly becoming angrier and more reckless, and consequently drawing further and further from the measured, strategic, and respected person she'd been in her former life. The girl wasn't sure how much of the subtle changes were her fault as opposed to Salem's, but after the confrontation with the Nymean pride, she could no longer deny their presence. Her actions had been inexcusably foolhardy and it was only a miracle no one but herself had been harmed as a result of them.

Before she'd died, she would've known better than to allow herself to become so enraged by petty insults, but which was worse: the fact that she had allowed it, or the fact that this was the second time such emotions had raised her ire? Either way, her parents would never have let her get away with such childish acts of violence. A wave of sadness passed through her at the thought of them.

It was hard to forget how much she missed her family now that she had returned to her homeland. Surely they knew of her passing by now… Were they still mourning their only child, or had they moved on? Pyrrha whined lightly as she realized that she may never know. Yes, they were kind and open people, but they were Hunters as well, and in their time they had witnessed countless atrocities committed by Salem and her minions. They would not easily be persuaded that their daughter, their precious _manari_ , had been reduced to a beast that had tasted blood and not necessarily disliked it. And even if they did believe it, would it be right for Pyrrha to even allow herself to get close to them again? There was always the risk that somehow, someday, Salem would find a way to take back control of what she viewed as hers – she didn't want to hurt anyone she loved. It was a depressing idea that she had found herself thinking about more and more often when around her friends.

Pyrrha felt Jaune's consciousness tapping at the mental wall surrounding her own and snapped from her idle musing with a few blinks to refocus herself. She quickly dropped the barrier, allowing the blonde into her mind.

 _Pyrrha, get ready to move,_ Jaune's voice was practically a scream in her mind and the Nymean winced slightly at the concentrated fear he was projecting. _And forget the airship - it's too big of a target._

 _We're fleeing the White Fang on foot?_ Pyrrha asked in disbelief as she staggered to her paws, concern in her words.

 _We don't have a choice. It's either run or get blown out of the sky. Which do you prefer?_ Her partner asked, trying his best to be a little calmer.

Pyrrha didn't even have to answer that question.


	27. Chapter 27

Dark figures darted through the swamp-covered forest, hopping over tree roots and sinkholes as they with went the trained ease only Hunters and soldiers could ever hope to possess. Each one of them panted, sweat dripping off of their foreheads and soaking their clothes as they ventured further and further into the Mistrali heat. Pyrrha ran alongside them tirelessly, trying to match their pace with her longer strides. She was well-accustomed to the heat and the forests outside of her home kingdom, so the Nymean took the liberty of guiding her friends, sending Jaune messages about nearby Grimm hotspots so they could be avoided. Her number one priority was to keep her friends safe from a different threat as they ran from the first.

As they neared a large clearing, Pyrrha slowed to a stop, sitting down as the others stopped behind her. Jaune jogged over to her before leaning over, his hands on his knees as he panted for breath. "Do you… Think… They're gone?" He asked, pausing to gasp for breath between his words as Pyrrha nudged his face gently in concern. "I'm… All right… Pyr," he reassured her, still panting loudly and feeling as though his heart was going to beat right out of his chest. Slowly, gently, Jaune lowered himself down towards the ground, before his arm gave way and he plopped down. "Ow," he whined softly, hand rubbing his now sore rump.

Across from him, Yang shook her head and let Blake slide gently to the ground. "I doubt it, Jaune," she said, eyes glittering with wild and uncharacteristic fear. "They're after Blake, and since we're her friends, now we're targets, too." Jaune groaned.

"Well maybe… We can rest here for a bit?" He asked, breaths still quick. His legs ached as he stretched them out on the ground, and he rolled his shoulders gently before reaching a hand up to pet Pyrrha's mane. The Nymean purred gently, but he could still feel her worry nagging at his mind as he rested. She scooted closer to the blonde, and his hand rose a little higher to reach behind her ear before scratching all the way down, ignoring the slight pain of one of her newly-grown spikes between her shoulder blades cutting him as he did so. Now more content, Pyrrha leaned her head down and licked Jaune's cheek gently, and her partner giggled as he jokingly pushed her away. "Ew, gross! Pyrrha!"

At that moment, what little rest they had was suddenly disturbed by a bloody Qrow emerging from the trees behind the group. "Get up. We need to go. _Now_ ," he ordered, his tone sending chills down Jaune's spine. He jumped up as quickly as he could, placing a hand on Pyrrha's neck to steady her.

"How far back are they?" He asked, now back in command mode. Qrow shook his head as he limped forward to meet the kids. Ruby rushed forward to help, but he simply shook his head.

"You know these forests. Lead the way," He said, gesturing out to the wood ahead. Without another word, Pyrrha rose and started bounding forward, and he did his best to keep up with her, the rest trailing behind them with Qrow limping along at the back. Jaune turned his head and glanced at his partner, ordering, "Just tell me what to watch for. I'll get the message to everyone else." The Nymean nodded beside him, eyes trained on the path ahead as she mapped the forest with her mind.

Pyrrha and Jaune kept a steady pace at the head of the group, trying to keep the team at a good distance ahead of the Fang members that were following them. Jaune could feel his legs burning, but he kept up with his partner despite his pain. He looked back for a moment, surveying the others behind him to see how much longer they could keep this up without losing someone. Ren, Nora, and Ruby seemed fine, and Weiss was moving so fast she was almost overtaking Pyrrha, but at the very back, Jaune could see Yang, Blake, and Qrow struggling. The three trailed far behind the rest, with Yang carrying the cat Faunus and Qrow trying to keep up, his injuries clearly bothering him.

Jaune grimaced and slowed down, gesturing for Pyrrha to continue when the Nymean's head turned to watch him go. He jogged for a moment as they caught up to him and matched their pace, a little alarmed that they were going so much slower than the rest.

"You guys okay back here?" Jaune asked, watching the three as Qrow panted and Blake limped heavily, leaning most of her weight on Yang. His eyebrows furrowed and he offered a shoulder to the older hunter, but Qrow refused his help, keeping his gaze trained on the wood ahead of them. Yang's teeth ground together as she growled out a response, shifting Blake's weight on her right shoulder.

"What?" Jaune asked.

"You might wanna be more concerned about the people right behind us!" Yang repeated. Jaune's eyes widened.

"W-what?" He glanced back and immediately regretted it. There they were: the first few of the White Fang were almost upon them, their White uniforms flickering between trees and bushes and giving them the appearance of ghosts. And in the very front, the same man with bright red hair and mask that had terrorized them at the village. Jaune gulped, filled with fear at the sight, and turned back to Qrow. "What do we do?" The old hunter sighed.

"We keep goin'. If nothing else, you leave me behind. I'll buy you as much time as I can." Jaune shook his head, not noticing as Blake and Yang exchanged a look beside him.

"No. We won't leave anyone behind," he insisted, a little bit of anger in his tone at the suggestion. Qrow huffed.

"Listen, kid, this is my job and –" Yang cut him off before he could finish.

"Blake and I'll stay behind," the blonde stated, and Jaune turned his head to look at her in disbelief.

"What? No! We're not –"

"You don't have a choice," Blake huffed from Yang's other side. "I'm just slowing you down. Besides, none of you know Adam like I do. It's me he's after, and if we let him think we're giving him what he wants, he'll leave the rest of you alone for a while, but he's not going to get it without a fight. Just go." Without another word, they slowed down even further, and Yang pushed both Jaune and Qrow forward.

"Go on. We'll be fine," she said. Before they could protest, she let go of Blake and slammed her fists into the ground, sparking her Semblance. A massive wall of fire exploded between them, cutting the girls off. Jaune stared in shock, petrified, tears pricking at his eyes. The boy would've stood there forever if Qrow hadn't grabbed his hood and pulled him back towards the others. He sniffled, wiping at his eyes with his arm and pulling himself free before taking one look at Qrow and offering his shoulder again. This time, the old man accepted, leaning heavily on the blonde as they began catching up with the others. Jaune bit his lip as he opened a communication with Pyrrha.

 _Pyrrha… Yang and Blake are –_ The Nymean responded before he could even finish.

 _I know. I heard the conversation… We have to keep going, Jaune. We'll send help back for them._ The blonde gritted his teeth and readjusted Qrow's weight on his side. By now, the sounds of gunfire and metal clashing with steel could be heard over the roaring fire.

 _Yeah... Yeah... J-just keep telling us where to go._ Jaune could hardly focus. What was he supposed to tell the others? What was he supposed to tell... _Oh, Dust. Ruby._ He stumbled, his throat constricting. The redhead would want to charge back after her sister. How was he supposed to stop her?

Seconds after the sounds of combat began to die down, a loud scream pierced the air behind them.

* * *

After passing Qrow off to Nora, who was now carrying him on her back, Jaune had caught up to his partner. The Nymean had faithfully navigated this far, but she refused to talk about what had happened earlier, instead choosing to think of anything else. Since Yang and Blake had dropped back to create a distraction, none of them had sighted a single White Fang lackey behind them, although Qrow had mentioned that they were likely still being followed.

None of them had slowed down, and Jaune couldn't feel his legs beneath him, but he continued on, sticking to Pyrrha's side. The Grimm tilted her head to look at him.

 _You could always slow down if it hurts, Jaune,_ she said, and Jaune shook his head vigorously.

"No, I won't. It's been easier to relay your route from here," he explained, causing Pyrrha to huff lightly. Then, suddenly, her eyes widened as she skidded to a halt, looking around at the trees nearby. Jaune stopped next to her as the others behind the Grimm crashed right into her backside; but she barely moved, staring straight into the forest as if in a trance. Slowly, Jaune approached her, hand held out in front of him, and asked, "Pyrrha? Are you okay?"

 _I know this place._ Her voice was a breathy whisper in his mind, full of elation, and she smiled widely next to him. The crimson-furred Grimm clawed at the ground before grabbing Jaune's sleeve, flinging him onto her back, and taking off at a much faster pace than she had before.

"Wha - ?" Jaune shouted in alarm and confusion, gripping Pyrrha's mane for dear life and praying the spike on her back wasn't sharp enough to cut through his gray shirt. He looked back at the others, who were disappearing rapidly. They were all staring at Pyrrha's fading form in shock and confusion, and he groaned loudly. "You all keep going!" He shouted. "Try not to lose us!"

Jaune bounced up and down on his partner's back, getting smacked by more than a few branches as she dodged and weaved through the forest at lightning speed. He spat the leaves from his mouth, "Pyrrha, slow down, please!" The Nymean turned her head, eyes growing wide when she noticed the state her partner was it. She slowed down considerably, bursting onto a narrow but well-traveled road. "Where're we going?" Jaune wheezed.

_It's just a little farther, Jaune. You'll see then._

"Um… Okay…" Jaune muttered. They went on for a few more minutes before suddenly the woods opened up to reveal an open field before them. To their left, below the cliffs and along the sandy shoreline, the sea stretched out as far as Jaune could see, a beautiful, clear aquamarine – to the right, the sprawling kingdom of Mistral rose before them, its winding streets, abundant greenery, and beautiful architecture coming together to meet at one central point, an outcropping with a gorgeous marble temple on it. The blonde could barely glance either way before Pyrrha sprinted ahead again and he was once again forced to lean down on her back to avoid being sent flying.

Ahead of them, he could see a two-story home, tranquil in comparison to the hellish village they had just escaped from. The exterior was a beautiful gray stone and the front door was a bright aquamarine color, with a large porch and simple staircase leading to it, and Jaune found himself in awe at its appearance, matching with the ocean environment so nicely. With a start, the blonde realized that Pyrrha was headed right for it. "Hey, hang on! Why are you going to that house?! Do you even know who lives there? Pyrrha!" He shouted. His partner smirked back at him.

 _Of_ course _I know who lives there._ Jaune sputtered in response as they reached the house and his partner stopped before the door and shook him off her back. Confused, he glanced at her, and her smirk widened as she nodded her head toward it. _Knock, please._ Jaune took a deep breath, readying himself for whatever he was about to face, and raised his hand, fingers curled into a tight fist.

Before he could even touch the door, it swung open, and Jaune stumbled back. Standing there was a tall, burly, lionesque man; his rusted red mane of hair curled around his face, his beard trimmed and well-kept, and he placed a hand on the weapons at his side, brown eyes narrowing and overt muscles rippling as he moved. Jaune found himself staring, fist still raised, mouth slightly agape as the man's feline eyes kept focus on the Grimm next to him. In response, Pyrrha shuffled her feet, looking a little sheepish under the Faunus's vigilant gaze, and for a moment, no one says anything.

Then, with no warning, the man snorted once and slammed the door in their faces.

Pyrrha scoffed beside Jaune in indignation. _Seriously, Mpampas?!_ She shouted, growling, agitation evident in the way she ran her claws against the wooden deck beneath them. Jaune glanced at her, raising his eyebrow at the language he didn't understand, and she rolled her eyes at him. _That was my dad,_ the Nymean explained, and Jaune's mouth rounded out in a silent "Oh." He took a moment to gather his bearings, taking another deep breath before raising his fist. This was not how he'd imagined meeting Pyrrha's parents would go.

"Sir! Sir!" He shouted pathetically, voice cracking as he leaned on the door, his fist banging against it. "My friends are in danger! The White Fang is chasing us! Please, sir! We need your help!" Beside him, Pyrrha snorted.

 _…That display will_ definitely _convince him, Jaune,_ she said, half joking, and Jaune pouted.

"Shut up, Pyr," he managed to get out before the door swung open again.

"Where?" A gruff voice asked, and both of their heads swung up, staring at the lion Faunus in confusion. Jaune blinked twice before responding.

"Uh… What?" The man rolled his eyes in annoyance and growled.

"Your friends. Where are they?" Jaune blinked again as he finally comprehended, turning to fully face Pyrrha's father.

"Uhm, they're back in the forest, but two of them are holding off the Fang further ba –" Before he could finish his sentence, the lion was off, and seconds later, a petite woman with a sharp, wicked spear came dashing out after him.

"Wait for me, Adamos!" She stopped for a moment and looked back at the pair standing at her door like deer in headlights. "Well, are you coming with us? After all, it's your friends who need help," she called back, waiting for just a moment before running off, and Jaune turned to Pyrrha.

"Your mom?" Next to him, the Nymean chuckled a little.

 _That's Mana, all right._ Without another word, she took off after the woman, and Jaune groaned in exhaustion as he followed.


	28. Chapter 28

Adamos knelt down on the ground to observe the countless tracks left in the marshy earth. Just as the young man with the strange Grimm had said, the battlefield lay just beyond a long, thick line of blackened trees, smoldering underbrush, and charred earth. The mixture of the rusty odor of blood and the stench of smoke and ozone hung in the air, one of the only testament to the battle that had just taken place here. The guerrilla fighters had certainly gathered their fallen quickly, but where were the two Huntresses who'd stayed behind to fend them off?

The red-haired Faunus stalked through the battlefield, searching for any clues as to where the pair had ended up. There seemed to be no sign of the girls anywhere – bodies, weapons, and even bullet casings had been removed. The White Fang had never bothered with moving their enemy's corpses... Had the girls been captured? A shudder ran up the old lion's spine at the thought. He'd seen how the White Fang treated their captives and wouldn't wish such a fate upon his worst enemy, much less a couple of teenage girls. When he came upon a tree with a bloodstained trunk and a hole from where a blade had pinned some poor victim to it, his fear only grew. He moved to investigate and discovered tracks leading away from the scene of the battle and into the bushes, and whoever had left them behind had been dragging something heavy with them.

Without hesitation, Adamos took off running to follow the trail. The lion knew he had to get to the girls before the White Fang could drag them back to whatever hole they'd been hiding in or their friends would never see them again. The forest blurred past him as he ran, uncertain about how far he had gone, his eyes remaining locked onto the trail. He came to regret his hyper focus on the tracks when he nearly ran straight over a river bank. The Faunus scrambled back, cursing himself, and tried to see where he had lost the trail, only to realize he hadn't lost it at all.

Adamos warily knelt down and peered over the cliff, searching the bank below. The river was dry for the most part, now just a glorified creek, and would be until the next heavy rain, but the ground was unstable and could give way at any moment – whoever had passed through was beyond lucky they hadn't gone tumbling down the rocky cliffside. Adamos pulled his gauntlets from his belt and tugged them over his hands. With a click, bronze claws slid from the tips of the fingers, covering his knuckles and extending out to sharpen at the ends. Adamos dug the claws into the ground and slid down the cliff to the riverbed, his boots squelching in the mud where he landed. A single pair of footprints headed upstream, and, with no other choice, Adamos followed them.

There were several spots on and around the tracks where the clay was a much darker shade of red than it should have been. Whoever had suffered the grievous wound, no matter how fast their aura could heal them, was in bad shape, assuming they were even still alive. Adamos sighed and ran a hand through his curly hair, already exhausted at the prospect of having to tell the teenagers he'd left with his wife that their friends had been killed.

About half a mile upriver, Adamos passed by an abandoned dock. The combination of the cloudy night, its thick, weatherworn timbers, and the trees standing on the bank created impressive shadows below it, and the trail led straight into the shadows, where Adamos could hear something coming from the darkness. He paused, his lion ears twitching at the noise. Someone - a girl, by the sound of the voice - was crying, a strangled prayer occasionally interrupting the quiet sobs.

"Hello?" Adamos called. The crying stopped abruptly, leaving deafening silence in its wake. Adamos's only warnings before the person hidden in the shadows attacked were the soft click of a gun and a flash of brilliant crimson.

By a stroke of pure luck, he managed to avoid the first strike. He whirled around at the same time as his opponent, bringing his fists up to strike. His jaw dropped when he realized who he was facing: a girl, her blonde hair matted and her crimson eyes wide with fear and desperation. She raised a flame-wreathed fist that might have been white beneath the layer of dirt and blood and charged.

"Yang, wait!" Adamos cried, dodging a clumsy uppercut. "I'm not your enemy!" The girl faltered, her burning scarlet eyes briefly flashing lavender, and stumbled back, clutching her metal hand over a freshly reopened wound on her left bicep. The lion took a step forward, which Yang matched, her eyes flicking between the burly Faunus and the dock.

"Stay back," she warned, her voice somewhere between a snarl and a whimper. Adamos took another step forward and quick as a flash she lifted her left arm, aiming her shotgun gauntlet between his eyes. "I said _stay back!_ " She screamed.

The old lion held up his palms in surrender, knowing full well the girl would have no qualms following through with her threat. He considered his options for a moment, never breaking eye contact with Yang. He could easily bring her down. Sure, the shotgun blast would hurt, but his aura would prevent any real damage. He could see Yang's legs shaking, threatening to give way any second… Adamos didn't wish to hurt Yang, though, regardless of the girl's reputation. Could he talk her down? The look in her eyes - the crazed, unblinking stare of someone with nothing left to lose - told him no, but his conscience forced him to try.

"Yang, please," he said calmly. "I mean you no harm."

"Who are you?" She demanded, her voice wavering. The girl was on the verge of bursting into tears once more.

"I am Adamos Nikos, Fleet Admiral of the Third Division of the Mistrali Navy," Adamos replied.

"Nikos... Pyrrha... You're Pyrrha's dad... " Yang choked out, the trembling gauntleted fist slowly falling to her side. Adamos nodded, still wary – she could still attack if he let his guard down.

"That's right. Your friend Jaune found me and I came to help you," he replied, allowing the blonde to step forward. She wiped at her eyes with her left arm, her shoulders shaking as she stumbled. Her aura sputtered out, the flames around her flickering and dying as she collapsed against Adamos, tightly wrapping her arms around his broad chest and mumbling half-intelligible apologies as tears flowed freely. Gone was the merciless, brutal, and disgraced Huntress feared and despised throughout the Four Kingdoms. The young woman Adamos embraced was a helpless and utterly pitiful child who could barely stand on her own, a pale shadow of the warrior who'd fought in Amity Coliseum.

"Please," the girl begged, her voice weak and hoarse. "Blake... She's hurt... Under the dock... You gotta help her."

Adamos nodded, swinging Yang over his back. She clung to his neck with all her remaining strength as he ducked under the dock. Even with his night vision, it was difficult to see through the shadows, but the blonde on his back seemed to realize this, and a warm glow filled the area as she ignited her hair. The old lion was about to tell her off for wasting her energy, but his words died in his throat when he saw Blake.

The young Faunus lay on her side, a white winter jacket the only thing standing between her and the muddy ground. A red-spotted bandage was bound around her stomach. Her eyes were closed, her skin was ashen, and the only way Adamos could tell she was even alive was the shallow rise and fall of her chest as she struggled to breathe.

"How did this happen to her?" Adamos asked softly, pulling off one of his gauntlets and reaching out to check the cat's pulse. Her skin was cold and clammy as he pressed his fingers against it.

"Adam," Yang whimpered. "Her... Her ankle is messed up... He cornered her during the fight and he..."

"Ran her through," Adamos finished. He pulled his gauntlet back on, wrapped Blake's jacket around her, and gingerly lifted the wounded Faunus in his arms. Hopefully, Minthe would be able to do something for her. Yang's fire flickered out just as the lion Faunus stepped outside and found himself staring down a masked, horned young man in a pitch black suit. He recognized Adam Taurus, one of the most wanted men on Remnant, instantly.

"I was hoping someone would flush them out," Adam said, smirking. "I should thank you."

"What do want with them, Taurus?" Adamos growled.

"That cat in your arms is a traitor. She has to pay," Adam replied simply.

"And Yang?"

Adam sneered. "I've got no quarrel with a brother Faunus. Just hand them over and I'll let you go on your way. We can pretend this never happened."

"That isn't going to happen," Adamos snapped. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Yang, can you get Blake back underneath the dock?"

"I have to," Yang replied, sounding beyond exhausted. She released her grip on Adamos and crumpled to the ground, rising to her feet like a newborn lamb. "Give her to me."

Adamos nodded and quickly handed Blake off to her partner. The blonde stumbled from the weight but managed to scramble to shelter. Adam howled in anger, charging forward in an attempt to catch her, but Adamos was ready for him. He slammed his fist into the ground, channeling his Aura into his Semblance.

Adam's first hint that he'd made a terrible mistake was a pillar of rock and earth exploding from the riverbed. It slammed into his chest with rib-shattering force and threw him into the sky. He landed with a painful crack, and Adamos didn't wait to see him land. The lion turned to the dock and willed a wall of earth to grow around it, and with a rumble it appeared. He jumped to the side of a shotgun blast and whirled to face Adam, roaring in challenge as his rage burned in his chest.

The young bull's blade scythed forward, catching the lion on the arm. Adamos's aura took the blow, and he countered with a slash of his gauntlets. Adam grinned and dodged with ease. He wasn't smiling when the earth rose around his legs and ensnared him. The lion Faunus wasted no time tearing into him with everything he had. The vicious onslaught of earth and claw pushed the younger Faunus's aura to its limit.

A loud bang deafened Adamos. The hilt of Adam's sword slammed into his chest, sending him reeling back. The bull shattered the rock trapping him with a few well-placed shots. His suit was shredded, his mask cracked, and his one visible hazel eye was narrowed with absolute rage. Red light curled around his horns and his hair began to glow, letting Adamos know it was time to finish this. He rushed forward, willing the ground beneath Adam's feet to crumble. The bull stumbled but still managed to grip the hilt of his sword.

"Choose, old man," Adam growled, the red glow spreading to everything around him. "Me?" The sky itself seemed scarlet. "Or them?" His blade flew from its sheath, sending a blast of brilliant red energy straight for the dock.

"No!" Adamos shouted, knowing full what would happen if the bull's semblance hit the dock. A wall of rock exploded between the red beam and the dock. The beam made contact, shattering the stone and dissipating. When Adamos turned back, Adam had vanished. The lion scanned the banks, but there was no sign of his foe. With a growl, Adamos turned back to the dock, allowing the protective shield of clay to fall. He couldn't waste time tracking the bull down until he got the girls to safety.

* * *

"Hold still, please," Minthe said. The redhead sighed but nodded, sitting up in the seat. She'd insisted on being the last person in her ragtag band that Minthe treated, explaining that her one wound - a cut on her shoulder blade - was nothing to worry about. Of course, she'd left out the part where it was deep enough to warrant stitches. It wouldn't have been a big deal if the silver-eyed girl could just sit still, but she wouldn't stop fidgeting, and Minthe was slowly becoming frustrated. "I'm almost done."

"Sorry," Ruby mumbled, her voice slurred from exhaustion. "It just hurts."

"You're a Huntress, aren't you?" Minthe chuckled. "Surely you've put up with worse than stitches?" The girl's hand fell to her side as the healer pulled her needle through again.

"Adrenaline makes it hurt less," she whined as Minthe finished the next stitch.

"You'll live, I assure you," a girl called from the living room. "Keep it down, Ruby."

"Sorry, Weiss." Ruby shuddered while Minthe pulled the last stitch through.

"I'm finished," Minthe announced, handing Ruby her shirt and hood. "Get dressed and you can sleep on the other couch, okay?"

Ruby nodded, quickly pulling her shirt back on and tossing the red hood over her shoulders. "Thank you, Miss Nikos!"

"You're welcome," the healer replied, her hand held over her mouth as she yawned. "Get some rest, alright?"

Ruby froze in the doorway, her fingers gripping the white-painted wood. She opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by frantic a knock at the door.

"Just go lay down, Ruby," Minthe said, ushering the girl towards a small couch that sat on the right wall of the living room. Her partner lay sprawled on a love seat next to it, already fast asleep. "You'll feel better once you've rested." Ruby reluctantly nodded, wrapped herself up in her hood, and collapsed onto the couch. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

 _Good. That's one less thing to worry about,_ Minthe thought as she began heading toward the foyer. The person at the door knocked again, even more anxious than before.

"I'm coming!" Minthe called. "Just hold on." She dashed over to the door and, after briefly checking through the peephole to ensure it was her husband, threw it open. It took her a moment to even register what she was looking at. "Oh, gods, are they...?"

"Yang Xiao Long and her partner Blake," Adamos nodded. He handed the black haired cat Faunus, still wrapped in her jacket, to his wife.

* * *

"Lovely morning, isn't it?" Adamos glared up at Qrow as the raggedy-looking man walked up to him.

"Well, it was," the lion sighed.

Qrow held up his hands in mock apology. "Oh, I'm sorry. Was I interrupting your important brooding?"

"I wasn't brooding at all," Adamos chuckled, returning his gaze to the pink-tinged horizon. "I just feel that sunrises are best enjoyed in silence."

"Well, you've certainly got a nice view," Qrow said, settling down next to his old friend on the porch steps. For a while, the dark haired man said nothing, instead staring exhaustedly out at the ocean. Adamos noticed that he looked as if the weight of the world rested squarely on his shoulders. As dawn finally began to give way to the bright light of the morning, Qrow stood. "Okay, I kept my mouth shut for you. So, now that that's over, I need to ask for a favor."

Adamos arched an eyebrow. "You already owe me."

"I'm painfully aware," Qrow replied. "But I need to speak with the headmaster of Haven as soon as possible."

"And why's that?"

"The people responsible for Vale's near-destruction have already infiltrated the school. I figure Dhaval will be more inclined to believe something a true Hunter tells him rather than some strays and their pet," Qrow explained. "Which brings me to my point: I need someone to keep an eye on these kids while I'm gone. And I do mean keep an eye on them, not throw them in jail. I'm not asking for anything permanent. Just give them a place to recuperate while I see about getting them into Haven."

"And how do you plan on doing that, exactly?" Adamos inquired.

"Let me worry about that." Qrow yawned. "Can I trust you with the kids or not?"

Adamos sighed, asking, "I don't suppose you're giving me a choice?"

"No, not really," Qrow admitted.

"Then I guess I have to," Adamos said.

"Thanks," Qrow said. In a flash of black, he was gone, replaced by a black bird soaring off in the direction of the main city. Adamos stood and stepped towards the door, ready to head back inside, but before he could reach for the handle he heard a faint mewl behind him. He turned and glared at the green-eyed Grimm.

"You again?" He snarled. "Didn't I run you off last night?" The Grimm bobbed its head as if nodding, and Adamos narrowed his eyes. "Then why are you still here?"

The great beast fell to the ground, slowly slinking forward on its belly while staring up at Adamos with its almost pitiful emerald eyes – eyes that shone like his daughter's, full of love and knowledge and -

"No!" He shouted, raising his fist as the beast slid closer. "Take one more step and I _will_ destroy you. Pyrrha - my daughter - is _dead_! I don't know what kind of magic you used to convince her partner and her team that you were my child, but I can assure you it won't work on me." He bent down so he was eye to eye with the Grimm. "I know you helped them. So I'll do you a favor and give you one last chance to _leave_!"

The Grimm stared up in terror for a moment before regaining its composure and shaking its head. Adamos growled and swung wildly, and the monster sprang clear. The lion Faunus moved to strike again but stopped as he felt a faint tugging on his neck. Shocked, he looked down. A black glow surrounded a small pendant on his neck, pulling it towards the Grimm. Adamos held the pendant between his fingers, examining it: two nails, crudely twisted into the shape of a circle with a spear stabbing through the center. Pyrrha had crafted it for his birthday not long after she'd begun experimenting with her Semblance, and he'd never gone a day without wearing it since. To him, it was a lucky charm, but it should have seemed an utterly insignificant trinket to the monster. Combined with the realization that the monster had been using _polarity_ , of all things, to draw it towards her...

"Her aura was black..." Adamos mumbled, leaning against the doorframe for support. "How...? What are you?"

The door opened, and a scraggly blond stepped onto the porch. He fearlessly walked up to the Grimm and stroked her mane, and she rolled around and purred like a kitten.

"She's your daughter, Mr. Nikos," the boy said simply, smiling as his fingers ran through the Nymean's crimson fur. "And she says good morning."


	29. Chapter 29

"Pyrrha…?" Adamos breathed out in pure disbelief. This… This _thing_ … Couldn't be his daughter. Could it? He turned back to the boy, skepticism written on his face. "You can… Understand this Grimm?"

He beat himself up a little when she flinched at the word. If this really was his cub, then… The Faunus couldn't bear the thought of hurting her.

"Yep, I've been able to since she first came back," the blonde – Jaune, he remembered – replied, his gaze still watching the Nymean next to him. She purred softly as he reached behind her ear, and Adamos almost smiled at the sight, could almost imagine Pyrrha standing next to the boy, a broad smile on her face as she relished in the attention –

Adamos shook his head, bringing himself back to the present. Pyrrha's human body was gone now. Instead, her soul sat in the body of a monster, and the lion doubted he'd ever be able to look past that fact. This was a Grimm – whoever had done this to his child had clearly wanted to torment her as much as possible.

He walked closer slowly, still cautious, still wary, lest the beast catch him with his guard down and reveal itself to be just another Grimm. "Tell me, then. Why is she like this? Who did this to her?"

Jaune shook his head, and Adamos's anger at the culprit only grew. "I'm sorry, sir. I really don't know too much about it – she's shown me once, but I didn't finish watching. It was horrifying. I think she's probably afraid to think much about it."

At that, the Faunus glanced to his side, making eye contact with the Nymean. Sorrow spread across his face as her eyes begged him not to make her remember – a whine escaped her throat, and her partner winced. The lion sighed. "A really bad memory?"

"Yeah. Only flashes, but… Whenever someone reminds her of it, she gets like this." Jaune leaned against her side, hugging her gently and whispering into her ear. The burly man watched the scene, remembering times when he had done something similar to calm his cub… He found that he was glad she still had someone to do it for her when he was unable to.

After a moment, the Grimm had calmed considerably, and she sat up, gesturing towards the cliffs as she met Adamos's eyes. A small smile crossed his face.

"You want to go there, huh?" He shook his head, a bit of amusement sneaking into his words. "I suppose I'll allow it." Beside them, Jaune's mouth gaped.

"Y-you can understand her, too?!" He sounded excited, and Adamos couldn't hold it back – the lion burst into raucous laughter at the comment.

"Not exactly, but I know my daughter well enough to understand what she wants – even if her body is vastly different from what it was, the language is still the same."

"Oh." The blonde visibly deflated, and Adamos chuckled a little more. "I guess that's pretty cool. I was just excited that someone else could hear her… Yang likes to call me crazy because of it, so I kinda wish I wasn't the only one."

Adamos closed his eyes, his smile growing. "Many people who've seen her tournament footage would say she hardly has room to talk, son."

"Yeah, I guess," Jaune replied, still sounding a little put out. He pet Pyrrha once more before turning to go back inside. "We should probably explain to missus Minthe while Pyrrha's explaining to you."

"Yes, that would probably be a good idea." With a deep, shaking breath, the lion stepped towards his daughter, trying to keep his fear in check. The Nymean rolled over at his approach in an attempt to help him feel safer in her own way, and he appreciated it immensely as he kneeled down and ran a hand through the fur on her underbelly. From the porch, Jaune called to him.

"She says she means you no harm, sir. She just wants to spend some time with you. You don't have to be so scared." Adamos smiled at the remarks.

"Of course she did."

After the Grimm's small show of trust, Adamos had gone with her out to the family's 'special spot' unquestioningly, his hands in his pockets as he meandered along the overgrown path. The Faunus made a note of the especially bad places – he would have to come out here and trim back the weeds later.

"Phoenix Point… You always did love this place, as your mother does. Sometimes I think you take more after her than me." Pyrrha chuckled softly beside him, and he smiled as he listened to the sound of her large footfalls on the grass. His Scroll vibrated in his pocket, and his eyebrows scrunched in confusion as he pulled it out and read the message.

 _"It's a beautiful cliff, Mpampas. I don't know anyone that wouldn't love it."_ Adamos raised an eyebrow at the text before glancing at his daughter.

"Jaune's taken to translating for you, I see." She nodded in response, her eyes still focused on the path ahead. The lion followed suit, and the rest of the walk was quiet and peaceful as the two approached the cliff.

* * *

Silence reigned in the Nikos household for a few moments after Jaune returned. Pyrrha's mother had approached him upon entering the house, and now he sat on the sofa with Ren and Nora as Minthe leaned forward in the recliner across from them. The dark-haired woman met the blonde's eyes, and he gulped.

"You said that… _Thing_ … Is my daughter. How?" She asked, her tone demanding a good answer – one that Jaune really couldn't give. He sighed and broke eye contact as guilt rose up inside him.

"I'm sorry, missus Nikos. I… Really don't know much about it beyond one memory she's shown me." Jaune winced a little as Minthe looked away, her shoulders dropping.

"My husband… I can't even imagine how he must be taking this," she whispered, sadness etched onto her face. "He hasn't quite been the same since we got the news that she was… Gone." Jaune leaned forward at that, hoping to reassure her.

"I'd say he's taking it pretty well, all things considered… They're going out to the cliffs together to talk." Minthe's head snapped up at that, hope sparkling in her emerald eyes, and Jaune smiled at the sight – her eyes were so much like her daughter's that he really couldn't help it.

"They are? Oh, that's wonderful to hear! I'm so happy that he's giving her a chance. I was afraid he might not have even bothered…" She clasped her hands together in delight, a wide smile gracing her face. "If it goes well, I'll have to go chat with her myself!" Jaune's own smile only grew at seeing her demeanor light up.

Beside their now elated leader, Ren and Nora exchanged a glance.

"Shouldn't you be with them translating, Jaune?" The black-haired boy next to him asked, one eyebrow raised, and Jaune flashed his Scroll screen at them both.

"Oh, I've been texting him translations for what she's been saying. It's not too hard to multitask it, but they are talking a lot and –"

Nora promptly picked her leader up and threw him out onto the porch.

"You need to focus on making sure mister Adamos is getting good translations!" She shouted at him before shutting the door.

* * *

Adamos and Pyrrha sat out on the cliff until past sunset while he talked and his daughter listened, not wanting to interrupt her father as he chattered on and on. The Nymean smiled inwardly, glad that even after the tragedy of losing his daughter and then suddenly gaining her back in the most horrifying form imaginable, Adamos was still able to just talk to her like this. Her verdant gaze wandered out to the sun slinking down below the waves, watching the stars that began to glimmer over the top of it.

Adamos's Scroll pinged, and he looked down at it sitting in his lap. _A message from the Arc boy._ He picked it up with one hand, his eyes skimming over the text.

"Like that star of the waning summer who beyond all stars rises, bathed in the ocean stream, to glitter in brilliance," the message read, and the burly man found himself chuckling as he turned back to his daughter.

"Still stuck on that old poetry, eh?" The Nymean smiled widely at him, her sharp teeth glinting in the light of sunset, and it was all Adamos could do to remind himself that she meant no one any harm. It seemed that she could sense his fear, though – she quickly closed her mouth again, hiding her teeth away. The Scroll pinged again.

 _"I'm sorry, Mpampas. I keep forgetting."_ The Faunus sighed and ran a hand through his hair before looking back up at his daughter.

"No, don't be. I'm letting your current… _Form_ get to me. I'm sorry for that, Pyrrha." Pyrrha nuzzled him gently as another message came in.

 _"It's okay. I understand. Things don't make much sense to me right now, either."_ She looked upset, and Adamos wished he could comfort her as he used to do – but no, she was much too large for that right now. Instead, he did the next best thing.

"I know that feeling all too well." The Grimm looked at him, confused, and he leaned back on his hands before continuing. "After we got the… 'news'… About what had transpired at Beacon, I…" Adamos sighed, finding it difficult to admit to his daughter exactly how her death had affected him. "I… Lost control for a bit. I became angrier and meaner, I pushed everyone away… Even your mother." He looked to the beast next to him, noting the look of shock on her face.

"She tried her best to act as though it was all right, she really did… But when we got home at night, she'd retreat to our room. I could hear her crying, weeping over your death, and I knew I was only making it worse…" Adamos leaned forward, wrapping his arms around his knees. "I couldn't stop myself. I… Felt so useless because I couldn't help her… But I could barely help myself." Pyrrha's paws began kneading the ground beside him as she whined at his admission, and he had to place a hand on her shoulder to calm her.

"It's all right, Pyrrha. You don't have to feel guilty for this. What you did was all I ever could have expected you to do… It's not your fault that any of this happened, to us _or_ to you," the lion said, meeting her eyes. After a moment, Pyrrha looked away, guilt still apparent in her movements, and Adamos sighed before wrapping his arms around her neck.

"I'm so glad to have you back, _paidi mou,_ " he whispered, and for the first time in a while, he was genuinely happy when he said it. The small smile that had come across his face only grew as Pyrrha placed one of her massive paws on his back gently – it was as close to returning the hug as she could get, and her father squeezed a little tighter at the motion before letting go and turning back to the sunset. It had been so long since he had felt at peace with the world like this.

Beside him, Pyrrha brought her head down, placing her nose on the edge of Adamos's lap so as not to scare him with too much contact. The man tensed for a moment before taking a deep breath and scooting in closer, making sure her entire head lay in his lap as he ran his fingers through the surprisingly soft fur of her mane. Pyrrha purred beneath his hand, her entire body vibrating with it, and his face lit up as he watched her lower body roll onto her side.

They weren't going anywhere for a while, but that was perfectly fine by him.

* * *

Jaune yawned loudly, exhausted after the ordeal they had all been through. Sleepily, he stared out toward where Pyrrha and her father had gone, wondering when they'd return. The sound of waves crashing against the shore was peaceful out here, and the blonde found himself dozing off as he listened.

 _Go to bed, Jaune,_ came the huffy voice of his partner in his head, snapping him back awake. He sat up on the wooden steps and glared in her direction.

"W-what?!" He shouted, indignant. "I am _not_ going back to bed, Pyrrha. It's, like, 7 AM!" He could hear the Grimm chuckle at him, and he only got more agitated.

 _It's 7_ PM, _Jaune,_ she replied, and he looked at his scroll and groaned, his anger gone as he saw that she was right. Slowly, he rose up, stretching out his legs and arms as another yawn came.

"All right, well, if you and your dad are finished out there, I guess I'll go to bed. Where are you gonna sleep tonight?" There was silence for a moment before she responded.

 _Well, I'm a little too…_ Large _to fit inside the doorway, and even if I could fit through, I'd take up too much space in the house. I think I'll just sleep outside tonight,_ she answered in a thoughtful tone, and Jaune smiled.

"Then I'll go grab my sleeping bag and pillow and stay out here with you." He could practically hear Pyrrha stuttering, as if she was trying to find the right words to shut him down, and he shook his head. "Nope. I'm staying with you tonight whether you like it or not."

 _B-but… It'll get entirely too chilly! Just because winters in Mistral aren't nearly as bad as winters in Vale and Atlas doesn't mean we don't get morning dew! Your joints will be stiff!_ Jaune laughed off her worry as he turned around and began up the steps.

"Eh, I'll figure it out. Besides, I'll have you for warmth, right?" With that, he headed back inside, ignoring the rest of Pyrrha's complaints as he smiled.


	30. Chapter 30

"Yang?"

Ruby took a tentative step into the bedroom. Yang lay slumped forward on the room's sole bed, her head resting on her left arm. Her mane of wild hair hid her face from view, making it impossible to tell if she was truly asleep or just flat-out despondent. The blonde's wounds were mostly untended – once she'd woken up, she'd prevented Minthe from paying any attention to them. Ruby could spot golden sparks of Aura flickering across her sibling's injuries, trying desperately to patch Yang up. The blonde's scuffed, battered metal arm was outstretched, her hand gently cupping Blake's. Ruby tried not to look at the Faunus. Blake's ragged, labored breathing was more than enough to make Ruby tear up.

The redhead crept further into the room, trying to keep her mind off of Blake's current condition. Mrs. Nikos had done everything she could for Blake; it was up to fate to determine whether or not the black cat lived or died now.

Ruby didn't think she could handle another friend dying, even if they did come back as a Grimm. She didn't want Blake, the Faunus soul trapped a Grimm body, she wanted Blake, the Huntress and teammate. Besides that, the only reason Pyrrha could communicate with Jaune was because of the link between their Auras. As far as Ruby knew, Blake didn't have that link with anyone. So even if she was reincarnated as a Grimm... Ruby shuddered in abject horror at the thought.

 _Please don't die, Blake,_ Ruby thought desperately, as if it could somehow bring the cat Faunus back from the brink. _Please._

She reached over, tapped Yang on the shoulder, and knelt down next to the blonde, "Sis, are you awake?"

"I want to be left alone, Ruby." Yang's voice was barely a hoarse whisper, a sharp contrast to her shouting earlier. Any of the kids who'd still been asleep at noon had been woken up by the sound of the blonde shouting. It had taken several minutes for Mrs. Nikos to calm her down and convince her to leave Blake's side long enough to take a shower. Even then, Ruby could tell Yang had rushed in cleaning herself up – parts of her sister's metal arm were still stained with dirt and dried blood.

"Nope," Ruby said.

"Ruby, I am not playing this game with you," Yang said miserably. "Leave."

"You know, for someone who was so miserable when their partner left, you don't seem to have a single problem pushing people away yourself!"

Ruby had no idea where the words came from, and she regretted them instantly. Yang flew upright, raising a fist above her head. Ruby flinched back, but the blow didn't come. Instead, Yang pulled her younger sister into a bear hug so tight that the wiry redhead couldn't breathe. After a moment, the blonde pushed her back and held her at arm's length.

"I'm so sorry, Ruby! I didn't mean-" Yang's voice broke, and she wiped her eyes with the back of her left hand. "Are you okay?" Ruby nodded, and Yang slumped back into the chair she'd been sitting in with an exhausted sigh. "Did you get hurt?"

"No, you didn't - " Ruby started to say, but Yang held up a hand to cut her off.

"Not by me. Last night, I mean. Did the White Fang hurt you?"

"I got a cut on my shoulder blade when they jumped me in the village," Ruby shrugged. "It's no big deal."

"Are you sure?" Yang pressed. There was a strange glint in her eyes; not quite fear, but not rage either.

"I- I'm sure. They were trying to grab me more than they were trying to hurt me." Ruby hadn't thought about the actions of the goons who'd attacked her, having been more focused on not dying, but now realized how strange their behavior was. "Why would they do that?"

Yang looked like she wanted to throw up. She grabbed her sibling again, shaking as she struggled to speak. "Adam... He... When he had Blake on his sword, he looked me right in the eyes... Oh, Dust..."

"Yang, it's okay," Ruby said softly. "He can't hurt you here."

Yang nodded, "I know, it's just... Whenever I think of his voice, his smile - I'm terrified. And what he said during the fight…" Yang shuddered and took a deep breath, trying and utterly failing to collect herself. "He wants us alive, Ruby. Not just Blake. _All of us._ " She sat back, hugging her shoulder with one hand and covering her mouth with the other as tears began to flow freely from her lilac eyes. "He said he'd make me watch as you were killed. He was going to say more, but that's when I finally managed to grab Blake and get away from him."

Ruby was hardly listening anymore. Her mind raced as she struggled to figure out how Adam could have known that she and Yang were siblings. Sure, that information was far from secret, but it wasn't like he knew them, or that he could've guessed it just by looking at the two of them. Had he overheard her conversation with Yang? No, the noise around his and Qrow's fight had been so loud even Ruby had barely been able to hear her Scroll over the din. Then it hit her. _The Vytal Festival Tournament._ All the news outlets covering the event had joked about how the youngest member of Team RWBY had been the leader of all the other members, including her older sister. Sure, the jokes had mostly dried up by the Doubles Round - and completely disappeared after Yang's disastrous finals match - but that still gave the information plenty of time to circulate and thus plenty of time to reach the ears of the White Fang's sadistic leader.

 _Why is it that all of our problems lead back to that stupid tournament?!_ Ruby thought. Before her mood could grow any darker, a tap on the shoulder brought her attention back to Yang. The blonde was still crying, but she managed to hold it together enough to speak.

"Ruby, do you think you could fix my arm?" She asked.

Ruby blinked and gently grabbed her sister's metal arm. "Is something wrong with it?" It was certainly dented and dirty, but a small hammer and a wire brush could fix that easily. Ruby couldn't see anything that was broken.

"Wha-? No, thank Dust, but... " Yang glanced at Blake, then back at Ruby. "Neon wasn't lying about this arm. Part of the reason Blake got stabbed is because I really can't fight with my right hand. When Adam shows up again, I can't be handicapped like this."

"A-are you asking me to mod your arm? Like, military type upgrades?" Ruby asked. Yang nodded. "I dunno, Yang. This is already a really complex piece of tech. If I screw up one little thing, the whole arm could end up busted. And I don't know how to detach it. Who knows how much it could hurt to have this worked on while it's still active?"

"A lot less than whatever the White Fang would do to me or you," Yang replied. "Come on, Ruby. You built Crescent Rose. How much more difficult could a prosthetic be?"

"Well, that depends. There could be a reason you can't fight with this arm. The metal could be too weak, or there might not be - "

"Ruby, please. Just try and figure it out," Yang begged. "If anyone can do it, it's you." Her expression made it clear she wasn't backing down.

Ruby sighed. "Okay, okay, I'll figure something out, but don't say I didn't warn you if your arm ends up broken."

"Yeah, yeah, got it," Yang said, hugging her sister again as a way of saying thank you. "You know where to find me when you think you're ready to start."

* * *

Pyrrha had almost forgotten how peaceful Jaune could be when he slept without being stressed. Between her paws, his chest rose and fell slowly, almost rhythmically. His tangled blonde hair hung in his face, covering his closed eyes.

 _He needs a haircut,_ Pyrrha mused as she yawned, flopped her head down next to Jaune's, and gently nuzzled him. His steady heartbeat echoed in his chest like a drum, lulling Pyrrha into a trance, which was the closest she'd get to true sleep without the help of a sedative. For the first time in ages, Salem and the Grimm were the farthest things from her mind. She had Jaune. She was safe. She was _home_.

Jaune shifted slightly in his sleep. His hand, which had been placed on her back, moved closer to the razor-sharp bone spur between her shoulders. Pyrrha sighed in exhaustion, gently pushed his hand away with her paw, and pulled him closer as a cold wind sent shivers down her back. She settled down again, and this time, Jaune stayed still, his heartbeat once again lulling Pyrrha back to "sleep."

It was about dawn when the front door opened. Pyrrha lifted her head, blinking her bleary eyes as she tried to see who'd stepped outside. She nearly jumped to her feet when she saw her mother, but she remembered Jaune still slumbering peacefully between her paws at the last second. She gently lowered him to the deck, careful not to hurt him, and then scrambled to Minthe's side. The ombre-haired Huntress looked down at her, confused for a brief moment, before she smiled.

"Good morning, Pyrrha," Minthe greeted. "I almost forgot that you were out here." She looked over at Jaune, who slept on, wrapped snugly in his bedroll. "This... Could take some getting used to."

 _He wouldn't sleep inside._ Pyrrha thought instinctively. Then she remembered the Huntress couldn't hear her. Minthe may have been her mother, but Pyrrha had unlocked her aura on her own as a child. The Nymean had no more significant a bond with her mother's soul than with anyone else's. With no other option, Pyrrha reached out to Jaune. _Jaune, wake up. I need your help._

The blonde stirred and grumbled something, but he didn't get up and didn't send a single conscious thought her way. In short, he was still out like a light. Grumbling, Pyrrha stalked over to him and began prodding him with her paw. Still nothing. _Jaune, please, you can go back to sleep later, but I need your help to talk to_ Mana _._

"Let him sleep, Pyrrha," Minthe said softly, rubbing the Nymean's head. "You know he's exhausted."

As frustrated as Pyrrha was, she knew her mother was right. Pyrrha knew better than anyone that Jaune hadn't slept well in weeks, a problem that had only been exacerbated by everything that had happened in Atlas, including her showing him the memory of Salem. Jaune deserved this rest just as much as he needed it.

 _Come find me when you wake up,_ she whispered softly as she trotted after her mother. She noticed Minthe had her fishing spear strapped to her back and grew excited. Were they going fishing? Pyrrha's mind flashed back to when she'd been a child, sitting behind her mother in a small boat and watching the Huntress deftly flick her spear beneath the waves to catch gleaming silver fish. The Grimm's mouth watered at the thought of freshly grilled fish even though she knew she wouldn't be able to taste them. The only things she could taste now were pumpkin-flavored foods – for some reason she had yet to figure out – and blood – which she would have preferred to never taste again. The smell of the fish would be more than enough to satisfy her.

When they arrived at the beach, however, her mother didn't head for the tarp-covered boat that sat disused on the small dock nearby. Minthe noticed her child staring at it and sighed sadly.

"Not today, _manari mou_. I'm not even sure you could fit in that little dinghy without capsizing it anymore." Her voice as upbeat, but Pyrrha knew something was wrong. She nuzzled her mother's palm, wishing she could speak, say something to comfort her. But Salem had robbed Pyrrha of her voice, quite possibly forever. The catlike gestures would have to suffice, at least until Jaune woke up.

Minthe rubbed her child's ear and stepped towards the water. The waves rippled around her, and when she lowered her spear the tip began to glow blue. She jabbed it down and withdrew it in one fluid motion. Pyrrha yelped in alarm when she saw a writhing, barracuda-like Grimm impaled on the tip of the spear, but Minthe flicked it away nonchalantly. It dissolved on the beach at Pyrrha's paws, its beady red eye dull and glassy.

"If you think the land-based Grimm are bad, you should look over here," Minthe called. "The oceans are even worse. People have been scared and angry since Vale fell, although I'm assuming you have sensed that." She speared a few more fish Grimm, all of a type Pyrrha had never seen before. "You and your friends are lucky you weren't attacked by anything besides the White Fang in that forest." Pyrrha nodded, and Minthe turned. "Well, what are you waiting for, _manari mou_? Didn't you want to go fishing?"

* * *

Heavy oak doors covered in intricate carvings of the gods of the Mistrali pantheon battling a horde of ravenous Grimm marked the entrance to the office of Haven's headmaster. Qrow sat outside in a considerably less grand plastic chair, staring up at the scene in the wood out of boredom. He'd been sitting there for hours, waiting for a meeting with the headmaster himself, Dhaval Aadhira. He should've been in said meeting fifteen minutes ago, and with every passing second, Qrow's frustration only grew. Somewhere in this very school were the people who had brought Vale to its knees, and they were planning to strike again. If Qrow had known that Dhaval wasn't going to take this threat seriously, he would've started hunting Cinder Fall and her cronies on his own.

The oak doors opened, and a monkey-tailed boy in an academy uniform skulked out, muttering something to himself. A fox-tailed man who looked just as bored as Qrow felt stepped out next.

"Mr. Branwen?" The fox called.

"That'd be me," Qrow yawned as he stood.

"Great. Headmaster Aadhira will see you now."

"About time," Qrow muttered as he stepped into the headmaster's office.

Sitting at the desk in the center of the room was a man every inch the picture of an ancient Mistrali emperor. His ivory hair was short and tidy, and his chocolate colored eyes were cold and calculating as he stared Qrow down. He wore intricately detailed bronze armor and a cream colored cloak with a purple band, the latter of which stood out against his dark skin. White centurions made entirely of hardened light flanked him on either side, their gazes blank and lifeless. The man studied Qrow with contempt before motioning for him to take a seat.

"What do you want, Branwen?" He asked, his tone curt.

"Good morning to you too, Dhaval. If you're gonna make me wait this long, you could at least offer me a coffee. Or booze." Qrow's snarky comment was met with a growl of frustration.

"You're lucky I agreed to see you at all, you drunkard. The less time you stay here, the less awful my day will be. So, again, _what do you want?_ "

Qrow sighed, unfazed by Dhaval's tone. "I came with a warning for you. The people who nearly destroyed Vale are _here_ , and they're no doubt already planning Mistral's destruction."

"You don't think I know that by now?!" Dhaval snapped, a fist slamming onto his desk. The centurions flickered as he struggled to regain his composure. He continued, rubbing his palm above his eye as if to fight back a headache, "I know they're here, but I don't know who they are. The only woman you were certain was involved, Cinder Fall, hasn't shown her face in the city or here at all, and her three teammates swear up and down that they're innocent. Of course, the Senate can't decide on whether or not to convict them of anything, seeing as how the White Fang and the Grimm have been striking at our borders and the nearby villages almost daily."

"So expel them," Qrow suggested as he shrugged.

Dhaval responded with a dry chuckle, his fingertips joining together in front of his face. "You really have no idea how Mistrali democracy works, do you, you idiot? I've tried, and I can't even get a solid vote on that much – at least, I won't be able to until I find solid evidence against them… Which I won't, because they are excellent at covering their tracks."

Qrow leaned forward, a small grin on his face. "I know a few kids who might be able to help with that, if you're okay with accepting a new team of students to Haven."


End file.
